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U.S. eavesdropping agency chief, top deputy expected to depart soon (reuters.com)
62 points by Lost_BiomedE on Oct 16, 2013 | hide | past | favorite | 15 comments


We're still not seeing charges for intentional lying under oath to congress. Well, it's not going to happen, but one can still dream of equal treatment under law, no?

I can believe that he's a good man and he did it with good intentions - but it's important for the society to state that actions like THAT are unpatriotic (literally, against one's nation and people) and immoral, unlike whistleblowing.


Revolving door strikes again. They probably will join Booz Hamilton or one of these large contracting companies and rake in the money. Same old.


Political theatre. New guys will be even worse, and can stall investigations pretending not to know what is happening hoping the calls for inquiry disappear


The title, coming from Reuters, is a little bit shocking. I mean, I'd expect the NSA to be referred to as "Eavesdropping agency" here, but that Reuters does it implies that this feeling is mainstream and widespread, which was not my previous impression.


At least outside the USA it's my impression that it's virtually universal.


Perhaps replace them with Snowden and let him deal with them?


Perhaps replace them with Snowden and let him deal with them?

That's almost as crazy as putting a man in jail for terrorism and then later electing him to be president - without an armed revolution in the interim.


While he did a laudable thing, Snowden ain't Nelson Mandela.


While he did a laudable thing, Snowden ain't Nelson Mandela.

Nelson Mandela wasn't 'Nelson Mandela' when he was sentenced to life in prison either.


Nelson Mandela was the head of a terrorist organisation that targeted civilians in its efforts to gain power by violent revolution.

See Nkonto N Sizwe, the Church Street bombing, Winnie Mandela's spree of "necklacing" (burning people alive with tires around their necks), etc. Mandela is not a saint nor a great leader.


He didn't do a laudable thing, two wrongs don't make a right.


Welcome, deontologist, to the world of consequentialism.


Holy f^^k, imagine Snowden running for president, I think he would win. The people love him, he is not corruptable and he could make a terrific president.


What a testimonial to how out of touch people on HN are. "The people love him." Really? Depending on what poll you look at, some large percentage of the public (30-40%) considers him a traitor. Even the people who agree with what he did wouldn't ever vote for him (they care more about issues like abortion, social security, etc).


>he is not corruptable

He's a human being, not a paragon of virtue. He has his price just like anyone else. Cult of personality can be a dangerous thing when electing a leader.




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