Thursday, February 6, 2014

An Interview with Edward Snowden is Blacked Out in the US

            As I have regularly mentioned here on this blog, I no longer trust the mainstream US media to bring us factual and accurate world or domestic news.  For this reason, I listen to a trail of international newscasts each day.  Of course, all of them have their biases from time to time, but from the consistent reporting between them, one can usually get a fair picture of what is going on in the world, and also in the US.  I also do some research and read additional information when I don't quite understand one aspect or another of the news.

          This week,  I watched a lengthy interview on DW of another German networks  (ARD) really detailed interview of Edward Snowden.  I wanted to listen to him and think, "If you sign a contract as a contractor or employee of the United States then the secrets you learn about our internal functions are not to be disclosed". I was surprised at some of the things he said.  I was surprised as to a number of things, and it frightened me concerning various aspects of our (US) government even more than usual.

          I concluded that Mr. Snowden started as a CIA employee and then became a contractor working in cyber intelligence for Booz Allen Hamilton, which has a branch in the city nearest me. He actually loves America very much, and truly believes that he disclosed private information from the US government to the American people because our government is no longer following the Constitution, but is making it up as it goes along.  I found Mr. Snowden courageous and highly intelligent.   I was also deeply saddened as I heard that the US government discussed the assassination of Mr. Snowden in an attempt to prevent the disclosure of additional information.    This is an intelligent person who should be working for us.  He should be fortifying our government computer systems against foreign cyber attack.  Instead, he is sitting in Russia with little hope of ever seeing his America or his parents again.  He is also probably correct in that alphabet agencies in the US with the permission of our President probably are considering assassination as a means of protecting themselves.   Weren't these concerns we used to have with Soviet Russia ?    When did the US develop Nazi tactics ?

          This is part of that interview.   Although I watched the entire interview in English, on German television, I have not yet been able to locate the interview in its entirety for posting here.  I have included all of it that I could find.   Please tell me what you think.

           This interview has been completely ignored by US news outlets.    Why ?

http://ivn.us/2014/01/31/german-news-network-broadcasts-edward-snowden-interview/

More good information on this matter:

 http://thedailysmug.blogspot.com/2014/02/what-rest-of-world-heard-snowden-say.html#sthash.jrQrjp4f.dpbs

ARD the German network, cites that "due to legal reasons" the entire interview cannot be shown outside Germany.

       We are not the transparent nation that I was told we were while in college.   Perhaps with the Constitution being ignored and sidestepped daily, and Congress persons (Feinstein)   claiming that "those who serve in the military are crazy anyway" and should therefore no longer have access to weapons,  we are no longer "the land of the free and the home of the brave".

        It is said that people get the government they deserve.   I know a lot of people who deserve far better than this.







19 comments:

Tewshooz said...

The Clintons got rid of their enemies. I feel that "something" will happen to Edward, too. A suicide, maybe? He knows too much about how our government is destroying this country.

JaneofVirginia said...

Snowden is pretty wise and understands exactly how much risk he is in, and has verbalized such. Most of the time in Russia his whereabouts are not known and I remember it to be a big place, even with the State Department tracking all the Americans. Snowden had police protection during the last hotel visit for this interview.
I don't know that there is much more he could do to embarrass the present administration. He has said that no number of whistle blowers will make any difference. It is only when the people of the US stand up and say that this is not the type of representation they deserve, that things will change. I hope he is right. Unfortunately, I don't see too many people who can spell Constitution, let alone understand it or really appreciate how it is not being followed.

Tewshooz said...

Russian enemies are eliminated often. Politics makes strange bedfellows, you know. Too many people in this country too happy with their free stuff to care much. Too many just are too dumb about what is going on to care, either. Too many drinking the Kool Aid, too. You are right about not appreciating the Constitution. They will be the first to snivel when all freedoms are lost. I am becoming very depressed about our votes being compromised, too. Are the results of elections rigged? Every day the people that are concerned are growing in number. I hope it is enough to make a difference before it is too late. I fear for our country.

JaneofVirginia said...

I fear for the people of our country. I don't know how long our nation as we have known it, will last. It seems that it became a version of the Bourne Identity some time ago. (Then again, the original author worked in intelligence, and so I suppose he would know.)

BBC said...

Please tell me what you think.

I think I can't do a damn thing about anything and if it would warm up I should go fishing.

JaneofVirginia said...

BBC, Fair enough. I was powerless to stop the alleged affair between President Clinton and Elizabeth Hurley also ! LOL

BBC said...

At least Clinton entertained us with some blow jobs... :-)

JaneofVirginia said...

You may have been entertained. I was horrified and I have never looked at the oval office the same way again. I was part of the small minority who thought that the misuse of official time in the White House coupled with extremely bad judgement should have been cause for Clinton's removal.

BBC said...

Wasn't you around when Kennedy was president? He was screwing every woman he could, but back in those days the press minded their own business. I could care less who is screwing who as long as they do their jobs properly.

BBC said...

BTW, the Clinton's and Kennedy's are christian's.... :-)

JaneofVirginia said...

Neither the Clintons or the Kennedy's are Christians using my definition. BTW, so is the mafia. The label "Christian" is often used to disarm others, when the person or group doesn't follow Christian or religious principles of any kind. It is up to us to use discernment to look past the labels and find the good people. Even good Christians haven't cornered the market on goodness. I know some good atheists. I know some good Buddhists, and some good Muslims. I know some good Jews and good people who are Hindus. I know some good Christians, and I have also known some exceedingly bad ones. Labels are simply things humans use to hide behind not reasons to trust them.

JaneofVirginia said...

Actually, I was a tiny child when Kennedy was president, but I don't think of his morality any more fondly than Mr. Clinton. I do care what they are doing while in office, because a.) it speaks to their exercising bad judgement which could lead to vulnerabilities with regard to informational breaches. b.) because, in the post 1981 days after HIV had been identified, makes them vulnerable to full blown AIDS which can cause dementia. (As can neurosyphilis)) Clinton should have been required to have a monthly HIV test ! c.) I would have been more tolerant if a dalliance had occurred outside the White House and on the man's vacation for example, but the fact that he breached the trust of an intern (which makes it sexual harassment and ultra bad judgment) and that he committed adultery while actually in the confines of the oval office, on what I consider to be the time of the American people, makes him pond scum to me. There is also a trail of his womanizing. Kathleen Willey, a Virginia resident, has plenty to say about his unwanted actions toward her.
Of course, we are in America, and at this moment, that still means that you can have tolerance for the man as long as your perception of his job performance is good, and I can still feel that he squandered the opportunities he was given, and behaved badly.

BBC said...

All in all I think Clinton and Kennedy where both decent presidents, but they are not what I am concerned about. I fear that the next president is going to be really bad for this country.

BBC said...

I've been here for seven decades, the 60's were the best of them. From here it is all downhill so prepare for whatever the best you can.

JaneofVirginia said...

On this we agree. It certain looks as if we are headed for times holding on to our hats !

JaneofVirginia said...

I think that compared to Mr. Obama, Kennedy and Clinton at least were working for the United States. I am not sure that Mr. Obama is working for the US at all. I do fear the next president because I am not seeing any candidates yet who can do the job, and there will be a great deal to repair after Mr. Obama. I am most concerned though about Congress. The Congressman I knew and helped to send there has progressively become brainwashed and no longer understands his constituency. I am afraid this is true with most of them.

BBC said...

“America talks the talk of a free society. A truly free society is a messy society. Freedom without the mess cannot exist.” (swiped from another blogger)

JaneofVirginia said...

Wise words indeed.

BBC said...

Stop voting and then you can blame others for what we get. LOL

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