Snowden to not be tortured or receive death penalty. Isn't that special?

I heard this on NPR this morning.
AG Holder has told Putin, "We won't torture him, or threaten him with the death penalty."
Putin: "We've never extradited anyone, and we won't start now."

Snowden Wouldn't Face Death Penalty, Holder Tells Russia

The U.S. wants Russia to deport Snowden. American officials want him returned to the U.S. for prosecution. Holder's letter, which was released Friday, addresses some "press reports and prior conversations between our governments" about issues involving Snowden's status. The attorney general writes that:
— Snowden "is able to travel. Despite the revocation of his passport on June 22, 2013, Mr. Snowden remains a U.S. citizen. He is eligible for a limited validity passport good for direct return to the United States. The United States is willing to immediately issue such a passport to Mr. Snowden."

— Claims that Snowden "would be tortured and would face the death penalty" if he is sent to the U.S. "are entirely without merit."

— On the death penalty, "the charges he faces do not carry that possibility."

— "Mr. Snowden will not be tortured. Torture is unlawful in the United States."

— "We believe these assurances eliminate these asserted grounds for Mr. Snowden's claim that he should be treated as a refugee or granted asylum, temporary or otherwise."

The link has a photocopy of the letter itself, too - signed and everything!

How very generous and gracious of the man. Torture is illegal in the US, is it???? Tell it to Manning.... or the thousands of other "police brutality" and "prison brutality" claimants. What crap.

These guys make me sick.

Holder never gave his definition of what he considers torture.

Eventually, the US will get their hands on Snowden IMO.

Peace

reply to post by wildtimes


I wonder... Does Putin have to get outright low class and crass about how he says it to stoop to the level of people like Holder, before he'll grasp a BASIC concept?! Russia is NOT our best friend. They don't even particularly like us. Perhaps...worse..these days, they have NO respect for us. Now, Holder is going to 'wheel and deal' across news shows and public headlines? What? Is Holder mentally ILL?!

Nations don't do business across news headlines and Putin must be losing more and more respect for us by the DAY. This is a bad bad situation, Snowden totally aside except for being the object of the issue at the moment. The way it's being handled is so insane and so DAMAGING to our own nation, I'm thunderstruck!

— "Mr. Snowden will not be tortured. Torture is unlawful in the United States."

Like anyone is going to believe the credibility of the US on this! With all the photographs of torture, rendition, etc., I can't believe they even would try to play that off with a straight face. If people think that because it may be illegal in the US, that there is no torture here in the US, they have no real knowledge of what goes on in dark corners of the intelligence community.

reply to post by wildtimes


The U.S. will not "torture" him.
They will interrogate him in an enhanced fashion.

reply to post by jam321


Yeah, this "sanctioning" thing the Congress is threatening is stupid, too.

They think they can just throw money at everything - either "aid" to developing countries in return for "cooperation" ($$$$$), or, withhold trade altogether (NO $). It's all about the money.

I'm so sick and tired of the government allowing criminals like Banks to get away with EVERYTHING, and just "pay a big fine" - but this one young man, whose Dad is also saying he's "proud" of him, will be thrown in jail. Prompt court hearing and a trial??

Right. Tell it to Manning (again.)

Powerful men are sickening. The LOT of them.

reply to post by wildtimes

It's interesting to see all of this play out. The group dynamics between Moscow and Washington D.C. are being put to the test. I will say that there have been times lately where I think leaders are regressing to Cold War mentality.

Let's hope Snowden does not simply become a political football for this type of government Pea-cocking. That is, if he hasn't already.

reply to post by wildtimes

— "Mr. Snowden will not be tortured. Torture is unlawful in the United States

Yeah, sure.

He'll just be interrogated with 'enhanced' methods.



~Tenth

Originally posted by jam321
Eventually, the US will get their hands on Snowden IMO.

I think it'll be a black ops sniper that has to finish him off.
The USA won't get their hands on him. IMHO


And PUTIN is laughing his butt of at Obama and Holder ... I have no doubt.
He's got Snowden and Snowden is now going to live in Russia.
Obama says ... 'gimme Snowden' ... and Putin says ... 'no'.....
Obama has no muscle .... he's a joke to the world ....

Originally posted by jam321
Holder never gave his definition of what he considers torture.

Eventually, the US will get their hands on Snowden IMO.

Peace

I'm sure that the United States is pleading with Russia to make a deal. The U.S. want him, just not back on U.S. soil or in the way we think they want him. They would probably rather see him dead by the hands of the Russian Mafia, on Russian soil, never to be seen again. Now of course that's just me speculating, and he's probably protected. I doubt the U.S. will get what they want this time.

Who knows what other "secrets" he could potentially leak. Personally, I don't think he's such a bad guy.

reply to post by wildtimes

Yeah, but OF COURSE torture is Illegal in the U.S. We would never do that.

Originally posted by FlyersFan

Obama says ... 'gimme Snowden' ... and Putin says ... 'no'.....

The Russians said "Give us Viktor Bout", and the US said "No!", so...

Translation from political gobbldy gook to english.


On the death penalty, "the charges he faces do not carry that possibility."
Translation: "But he could meet a unfortunate accident while in custody"


"Mr. Snowden will not be tortured. Torture is unlawful in the United States."

Translation: "But we can ship him quietly too a country were its not illegal....say GITMO... and get a independant contracter....say MI6 to do it for us"

Originally posted by tothetenthpower
reply to post by wildtimes

 

— "Mr. Snowden will not be tortured. Torture is unlawful in the United States

Yeah, sure.

He'll just be interrogated with 'enhanced' methods.

~Tenth

Well Duh everyone knows water boarding, sleep deprivation and being restrained in uncomfortable positions is not toture



/Sarcasm

Originally posted by crazyewok

"But he could meet a unfortunate accident while in custody"

Yup! Like "accidentally" falling out of a helicopter, or something similar.

Exactly. He'll be disappeared - burned beyond recognition. The Obama Administration looks like a COMPLETE bunch of tools and idiots. 'Bout time, too. If Snowden meets with an "accident" now, or DOES disappear, it will be a HUGE story, and America would lose ALL of its shredded-to-bits credibility -- the tiny part it still has. And this right on the heels of the prison break at Abu Graib....

There are LOTS of "secret prisons" all over the planet, btw. Horrendous things they do in them. Unthinkably despicable. One guy who WAS being sent to a prison was held on the ship transporting him for FOUR MONTHS, and DID undergo torture....all before he got sent to the prison.

What a joke, an embarrassment. It makes "Idiocracy" look like a serious documentary!!!

(My husband surprised me with a new hoodie that says: "Electrolytes! It's what plants crave!")

Yeah, the letter said he'd be "speedily" given a civil court hearing...and a jury trial - why don't they just try him "ex parte"? If he's so despicable.

I'm REALLY glad he went to Russia. The gig, as they say, is UP. The USA is going down. I hope the next "world power" will be kind to us normal, regular citizens. I worry for my kids. For ALL kids, but especially, naturally, for MY kids.

Scahill/Snowden 2016NOW. Manning for Secretary of State. Stewart and Colbert as White House Advisors and Chiefs of Staff.
My dream team!!

Originally posted by faust833
reply to post by wildtimes

 

Yeah, but OF COURSE torture is Illegal in the U.S. We would never do that.

yeah and yet it HAPPENS EVERYDAY many times. technically a police interrogation (which is the least they would do to him), is a form of torture. just ask anyone who has ever been "questioned".

i actually find it worrying that they specifically say "no death penalty", to me that almost sounds like they very well might go for it. "the charges he faces do not carry that possibility." um is not "Espionage" AND "treason" death penalty charges? those ARE the charges i keep hearing in regards to snowden.

Originally posted by FlyersFan

Originally posted by jam321
Eventually, the US will get their hands on Snowden IMO.

I think it'll be a black ops sniper that has to finish him off.
The USA won't get their hands on him. IMHO


And PUTIN is laughing his butt of at Obama and Holder ... I have no doubt.
He's got Snowden and Snowden is now going to live in Russia.
Obama says ... 'gimme Snowden' ... and Putin says ... 'no'.....
Obama has no muscle .... he's a joke to the world ....

It's not Obama's fault. I'm sure that when Obama strolled his way into office, he was greeted with warm welcome arms. The President wields very little power, he is simply a spokesperson for the Real President. Just read the quotes of past presidents.

Kennedy tried to fight back, and he's been an example ever since. Blame The Oligarchy. The ones who own The Federal Reserve. Ben Bernanke has more power than the president.

Now on the topic of Edward Snowden. He's probably being protected by Wikileaks founder Julian Assange through some sort of "blackmail" insurance on his life. You'd better believe that Russia is getting all the information out of him as they can. The U.S. is scared, and yes...Putin is laughing.

reply to post by faust833

It's not Obama's fault. I'm sure that when Obama strolled his way into office, he was greeted with warm welcome arms. The President wields very little power, he is simply a spokesperson for the Real President. Just read the quotes of past presidents.

I used to think like that, too.
Obama has the 'power' to issue Exec Orders, to refuse to sign laws, to ORDER DRONE ATTACKS...and it IS his fault that HE LIED. It is HIS FAULT that he wanted to be President (only a fool would even consider it, in my opinion) - and HIS FAULT that he's a piss-poor leader.

I thought his second term would be an improvement. Instead, his entire presidency is a disaster. I voted for him, twice, and I'm VERY ANGRY about being betrayed.

Obama MAY BE a tool, but he's willingly doing what he's doing. "Stepping down" happens all over the world, all the time. His time is coming.