> The United States has strong and vocal free speech and privacy advocates who can hold their government accountable without fear of harm
Then why did Snowden have to run away to a foreign country? Why is Manning in jail for 35 years?
Then why did Snowden have to run away to a foreign country? Why is Manning in jail for 35 years?
On the other hand, the fact that the Washington Post can still publish what he "stole"(from the gov's view) is telling about US respect for free speech.
What Snowden did, in terms of the actual act of disclosing massive amounts of classified data, was in and of it self very illegal. And it's that actual act that the government takes issue with, so the situation is completely different.
Of course, a major question is do Snowden's motivations grant him an exception to that law or at least grounds of a pardon or such. I'd say yes, though it also depends on what he leaks.
Plus, if he was acting in the interest of the US people, there should have been some protection.