OPINION: Snowden’s motives aren’t the issues; our security and liberty are
Whether you see Edward Snowden as an egomaniacal traitor who exposed vital national secrets or a conscientious whistle-blower in the tradition of Daniel Ellsberg, one thing is clear: His revelations that the U.S. government has been gathering vast amounts of data on its citizens has ignited an essential national discussion on security and privacy.
Look no further than to President Obama himself for the rather schizophrenic reaction America is having to the Snowden affair. The same president who would still like to get his hands on Snowden, and who talks of rethinking our relationship with Russia for harboring him, also declares that he believes our intelligence programs need increased transparency, reforms, oversight and protections against abuse.
As they surely do.