Putin on Snowden: Alleges US Won't Sign Extradition Treaty

RT has uploaded an interview with Vladimir Putin in which he remarks at length about Edward Snowden and the lack of an extradition treaty between the United States and Russia, a treaty that, he says, Russia has asked for repeatedly but to which the US refuses to agree.

He chides the US for not allowing Snowden to go to a country where their clandestine services could operate more easily to apprehend him, although he doesn't address the assertion from an unnamed Ecuadoran official that Russia prevented Snowden from going to Ecuador from Sheremetyevo Airport in Moscow.

It is an interesting interview that begs important political questions in American politics, chief of which is, "Why is there is no extradition treaty between the US and Russia?"

Because than Russia would asks for it's spies back.

/thread

Originally posted by CALGARIAN
Because than Russia would asks for it's spies back.

/thread

Both sides have prisoners they would rather not give up, its a convenient excuse for Putin.

Frankly I am thankful that we don't, Snowden needs protection from this tyrannical administration.

Extradition treaties are not simply an "exchange of prisoners". A guy like Jeffrey Delisle, for example, doing 20 years in prison in Canada for selling military intelligence to Russia, would not be the subject of an extradition request because he is wanted for no crime in Russia. A number of high profile American citizens who spied for Russia or the old Soviet Union would, similarly, not be the subjects of extradition requests. They don't qualify.

These sorts of people, if important enough, would normally be part of arranged bilateral "exchanges".

Other than Viktor Bout, who wasn't wanted by Russia on any criminal charge, I don't believe, at the time of his arrest in Thailand, I can't think of any individuals who have committed crimes in Russia, who are wanted by Russia, who are in the United States as prisoners or living in freedom. Putin says there are some "with blood on their hands".

Is he referring to people with links to Chechen terrorist organizations, perhaps?

Sibel Edmunds, former Central Asia languages translator for the FBI, strongly implies that this might be the case in an article on her boilingfrogspost.com website.

www.boilingfrogspost.com...

Between 1996 and 2002, we, the United States, planned, financed and helped execute every single major terrorist incident by Chechen rebels (and the Mujahideen) against Russia.

Between 1996 and 2002, we, the United States, planned, financed and helped execute every single uprising and terrorism related scheme in Xinxiang (aka East Turkistan and Uyghurstan).

Between 1996 and 2002, we, the United States, planned and carried out at least two assassination schemes against pro Russia officials in Azerbaijan.