Sh*t just got real for Edward Snowden -the US and Hong Kong have a bilateral extradition treaty

[kpete]

The U.S. and Hong Kong have an extradition treaty together.

Sh*t just got real for Edward Snowden RT @ZekeJMiller: FWIW, the US and Hong Kong have a bilateral extradition treaty http://www.state.gov/... …


http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/71600.pdf

[silvershadow]

1. whoops. nt

[WestStar]

2. I felt that as an American citizen, as a responsible citizen,

I felt that as an American citizen, as a responsible citizen, I could no longer cooperate in concealing this information from the American public. I did this clearly at my own jeopardy and I am prepared to answer to all the consequences of this decision.

Daniel Ellsberg June 28, 1971, as he surrendered at the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Massachusetts in Boston.

Shit got real that day too.

[ananda]

3. Whoa!

This is getting interesting now ....

[usGovOwesUs3Trillion]

4. It got real the day he decided to talk to a reporter, he knows better than most the reach of our

National Security State.

[gulliver]

5. Maybe they just fine him and let him go.

This "leak" by itself is essentially nothing since the information was already known. On that basis he could just be fined enough to destroy him financially for life and then released. That would be one reasonable way of dealing with the situation.

The last thing we need is a bunch of people worshiping the "great belly button revealer" as some sort of martyr. What he did was unconscionable and anti-democratic, but the damage so far appears to be far less than that caused by that other grandiose little twerp what's-his-name.

[DirkGently]

20. "financially destroy him for life."

Nice sentiment. Guy acts out of conscience and you're rubbing your hands over the idea of "destroy(ing)" him.

But you do make one point, which is, if none of this matters, there's nothing to punish at all, financially or otherwise.

[muriel_volestrangler]

6. Link goes to a treaty about crimes of violence, parental abduction, and international war crimes

tribunals and drugs. So I can't see how that applies in this case. Also notice there's an exception for offences 'of a political nature', which I expect Hong Kong/China would be quite happy to invoke to embarrass the USA.

[Cali_Democrat]

7. It is illegal to leak classified information

He should be extradited and prosecuted if he broke the law.

[WinkyDink]

11. It is illegal to countermand the US Constitution, also. Just sayin'.

[Cali_Democrat]

13. FISA warrant

Perhaps you missed that detail. Isn't it the job of the judiciary to interpret the law?

[uponit7771]

17. It's good that Obama admin broke no laws then no? tia

[Hissyspit]

18. Yuck.

[Cali_Democrat]

19. Don't like the law?

Work to change it. Until then, the Justice Department has an obligation to enforce it.

[Hissyspit]

35. Plenty of torturers, contractors and officials of the Bush administration broke the law

and didn't get prosecuted.

[Cali_Democrat]

36. And they should have been prosecuted

That's why I was so angry when the Wall Street bankers and Bush admin torturers weren't prosecuted. But just because those law breakers weren't prosecuted, it doesn't mean all other law breakers should be let off the hook.

[hlthe2b]

8. With China in the mix, I don't think this is so "cut and dry"...

I'd imagine China would like nothing more than to send the big middle finger our way on this issue...

[Cali_Democrat]

12. Na I doubt it

China would likely extradite him anyway. China isn't exactly averse to surveillance.

[hlthe2b]

15. You miss the point... We just held a finger wagging session towards CHina re: cybersnooping...

and related. And, (rightly) we did not allow our First Lady to confer legitimacy on their Premier's Wife (who has positioned herself as a celebrant of the Tienanmen Square crack down and similar), causing a major snub.

China's views on surveillance have little to do with it. Being able to embarrass the US and expose our hypocrisy might well be enough to make them grant sancturary to this guy.

[RainDog]

14. Obama met with the leader of China this week

And one big issue was China stealing intellectual property from the U.S.

interesting, huh?

[reformist2]

9. If forced to choose sides between this Snowden guy and the Obama Admin...

[DirkGently]

22. It's not a popularity contest.

[Logical]

10. If everyone knew this already then why is he in trouble? n-t

[leftstreet]

16. +1

[morningfog]

24. Because the double think is very strong on this one.

[flamingdem]

21. Booz Allen is already kicking him out the door

Maybe he should have gone to Iceland

[DirkGently]

25. Kind of think he quit already. (nt)

[flamingdem]

26. He said that he's an employee in the video interview

and he stated his position at the company.

[DirkGently]

29. And then he went to Hong Kong (nt)

[KeepItReal]

27. Definitely a Non Disclosure violation

And security clearance violation

[flamingdem]

28. Booz Allen said as much nt

[jeff47]

30. Iceland wants and needs to kiss up to the US.

They'd turn him over.

China, OTOH, has more freedom of movement on this. Of course it would be like turning to the USSR for protection in the 1960s - the act itself would greatly weaken one's case.

[flamingdem]

31. ... basically he had no where to go

so Glen called his buddies and he ended up in Hong Kong, no problemo!

I hear it's easy to learn Cantonese, easier than Icelandic!

[jeff47]

32. He had nowhere to go if he wanted to avoid trial.

You can't leave off that last part.

If he leaked this and then waited in the US for the FBI to arrest him, it would make his claim that he's righting a wrong stronger.

[flamingdem]

33. exactemente

exactemonte ... will have to learn how to say that in Chinese

I'm not ready to create a conspiracy over this but the Rand Paul element bothers me.

[jeff47]

34. According to Google translate

It's 究竟

[treestar]

23. Why was he that dumb?

He should have gone straight to Ecuador. Hasn't his hero Julian's experience taught him anything?