...um...psssst...the US government is not going to assassinate Edward Snowden...

[karynnj]

77. Few points for you

1) Feinstein is an elected official who is one of the two Senate representatives of California. Nothing that she said is character assassination. She is referring to the actions - disclosing classified information and taking classified information out of the country - as traitorous. It is certainly reckless to take 4 laptops to Russia (and China). As a crack computer person, he has to know that given enough time, any encryption can be broken. The Russians do not have dumber computer people. The rules that he was given when he was given the clearance cover things like this. (think about it - he, the German paper, and Greenwald ALL say there is some stuff that will hurt the US not yet released. It is on the laptops and in Russia. Can he insure that Putin does not take them? If you think he is in control, you (and Snowden) are the naive ones.

2) The Constitution itself gives the Supreme Court the right to determine what is unconstitutional. It is not a right given to every employee of the government. In addition, his saying that he could extract anyone's records - does not mean the government does this. (In fact, he is the computer skilled analog to a long ago international operator who spoke of overhearing Jackie Onassis' international call. She was violating the AT&T code of conduct when she did that, he is violating his companies rules when he does. As to the government, the issue is that they need a FISA order. It is Congress' job to insure that this is done appropriately .

3) As to him being arrested when he went to Senators Wyden or Paul, who have made this an issue long before Snowden is paranoid. Not to menion, this was an issue an the floor of the House and Senate for months in 2006/2007 and more recently when it was renewed.