I'm not saying either instance was right - I'm saying they are quite different kinds of wrong.

The Snowden story is plausible - but it's still hypothetical. And of course the same international community (of US allies) that would resist extraditing Snowden today, would protest if the US forced a plane between two other countries and full of their citizens to land in the US.

All that aside: the focus shouldn't be taken away from the fact that the real crime is arresting an opposition journalist/activist.