EDWARD SNOWDEN TRAITOR OR WHISTLEBLOWER
Dave Mohler
I. Conflict
A. Edward Snowden was a CIA and NSA contractor who released 200,000 classified documents to the press. The disclosed documents contains details about the United States’ NSA mass surveillance program, as well as the British GCHQ and Israel’s ISNU.
Vs.
B. On June 14, 2013, United States federal prosecutors charged Snowden with theft of government property, unauthorized communication of national defense information and “willful communication of classified communications intelligence information to an unauthorized person”. He has been charged under the 1917 Espionage Act.
II. Background Information
A. ‘On May 7, 2004, Snowden enlisted in the United States Army Reserve as a Special Forces recruit but did not complete any training. He said he wanted to fight in the Iraq War because he “felt like [he] had an obligation as a human being to help free people from oppression.” In an email to The Guardian the US Army confirmed his enlistment as Special Forces recruit and said he was discharged on September 28, 2004. The email said, “He did not complete any training or receive any awards”. Snowden stated that this was the result of breaking both of his legs in a training accident.’ Wikipedia (background info).
1. Snowden’s background is important to the leaks because it gives us a sense of who Edward Snowden is. In his case, it seems to give the impression that he is a patriotic, sincere guy who would’ve risked his life for this country.
Article supporting the claim that Snowden was sincere in his leaks and that the NSA was overstepping its power-
http://mashable.com/2013/06/10/edward-snowden-internet-freedom/
This article talks about Snowden’s motivations for leaking the documents.
It also talks about a former secret court order which allowed the NSA collect metadata of Americans’ phone calls for months at a time; a secret system codenamed PRISM that intercepts Internet communications; a presidential directive asking for a list of targets for cyberattacks; and “Boundless Informant,” a NSA tool to data-mine the world. “I don’t want to live in a world where there’s no privacy and therefore no room for intellectual exploration and creativity.” -Snowden
B. In Snowden’s own words, his ‘sole motive’ for leaking the documents was “to inform the public as to that which is done in their name and that which is done against them.” The disclosures have fueled debates over mass surveillance, government secrecy, and the balance between national security and information privacy.
III. Thesis/Cause- Edward Snowden is a patriot. (Working Thesis)
A. “Snowden spent months meticulously studying every document.” As Snowden planned to release the information he realized what the people needed to say and what would actually jeopardize national security such as U.S. military plans or any secret conversations. The leaks mainly tell us that the government without any court warrants seized phone logs of millions of Americans without authority to do so, and that the NSA tracks user data from large sites.- Huffington Post
1. This article is important because it speaks of how Snowden carefully selected specific documents that did not compromise any military plans. His leaks only focused on illegal domestic wiretapping done by the NSA. He was careful not to jeopardize any ongoing military operations. This adds to the data that Snowden genuinely thought the NSA was out of line and that he thought he was acting in the best interest of the American people.
B. The triggering event of my conflict is a simple one, in May of 2013; Snowden released classified documents to The Guardian. But what caused him to release these documents was the NSA wiretapping millions of Americans without warrant.
IV. Opposing side
A. Politicians and reporters alike have come out against Snowden including, Dick Cheney, John Kerry, Barack Obama, John Boehner, and Dianne Feinstein. They insist that Snowden broke US law and should be tried on espionage charges. They have stated that Snowden should have called the House Intelligence Committee and the Senate Intelligence Committee.
B. Realistically, these reports would have been squashed due to the power of the CIA and NSA. Snowden could not risk losing his job and being blacklisted by the government, without these transgressions publicized.
V. Desirable Resolution
A. Technically, Snowden did break US law. We cannot allow him to come back to America free. He has lost that privilege, and he knew he did when he leaked the documents. But he should not be extradited back to the US. He did a noble thing that helped the America and her people. He did it with the best intentions, and made sure his actions wouldn’t jeopardize any military actions. He should be allowed to live in Russia for a long as he likes, without persecution.
Information Literacy: Conflicts 