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Comment by rob74 | Hacker News Reader

Not sure if I would classify Schulte as a "whistleblower" - the CIA is an espionage agency, and the stuff he leaked contains details on how the CIA performs electronic espionage, i.e. how it does its job. So AFAIK it's not as if he exposed some illegal activity on the CIA's side?

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Hacking people and steal their data is pretty much illegal, especially if done on non-US (or other in case of other spyers) soil.

There is no difference between some drug cartel mercenary and CIA agent from both legal and moral perspective of any other country citizen, and humanity and human rights are much more important than business of any particular country.

At least mercenaries do that for some real value, and not some vague abstract and undefined bullshit like "national interests".

Whistleblowers of any spy agencies as well organised crime organisations are heroes, if their whistles help to defend humanity from each of those criminals.

> it's not as if he exposed some illegal activity on the CIA's side?

Lol. So you're saying their espionage is legal?

Espionage makes the world more predictable, and hence less dangerous.

Agreed, and the other thing to keep in mind is that he leaked all this stuff because of a personal grievance, not to expose any sort of wrongdoing.

Edward Snowden and Bradley Manning had similarly corrupt motives, despite popular but misguided opinion that they are noble whistleblowers of government evil.

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