How Snowden gained access
He tricked colleagues into sharing their passwords with him, saying that as systems administrator he needed to have them.
In addition, NSA had failed to install the latest anti-leak software at the Hawaii facility where Snowden worked. Most other facilities seem to have had the software. My guess is that Snowden knew all of this, since he obtained the Hawaii job for the express purpose of amassing the material and leaking it.
Snowden was good at exploiting the weak links in the system, especially the personnel. My guess is that his mild-mannered, affable appearance caused them to suspend any suspicion (or judgment) they might otherwise have had. If just one person had hesitated and checked with higher-ups, perhaps Snowden’s cover would have been blown.
The offenders have now been “removed from their assignments.” Hope they won’t just get transferred to new ones at NSA or some other high-security operation.
Snowden showed how evil bureaucracy can be. If he is no good, then that’s the just one Dillinger’s lackeys getting one over on Capone.
He is probably not as guilty as the people he told on. No, he is definitely not.
And he gets the highest of marks for being the one who began to expose and stop Obama. History will say that he helped stop the most dangerous and destructive pseudo-president in American history.
Mike:
I disagree, as you know. You and I may be happy to have been told more about the NSA doings (some of which we already knew, by the way, because of whistleblowers), but that doesn’t change the fact that Snowden remains a hubristic, naive, lying, coward who committed treason.
Both things can be true.
“Snowden remains a hubristic, naive, lying, coward who committed treason.”
Obama did too. And he’s President and is infinitely more dangerous.
One traitor harms another more dangerous one = better of two evils.
And the satanic bureaucracies he fingered….
May they rot in hell with Obama and Snowden.
But of the circles of Hell, Snowden will be in the highest, and Obama and his evil henchmen and women, also known as “public servants”, will be in the lowest circle.
The very word “traitor” implies that your country is in the right, and this person has betrayed it. Did he betray the country, or Obama?
Were the conspirators against Hitler traitors?
Were the military officers that overthrew Morsi traitors?
I don’t think you can be a traitor for trying to expose someone bent on “fundamentally transforming” your country.
Matt_SE:
Programs much like the one Snowden worked on were started by Bush, and the focus was the war on terror. Other whistleblowers had already exposed similar programs. So the American people was already informed of the gist of it (at least, anyone who was paying attention). And this isn’t really about Obama.
Snowden gave intelligence content and divulged intelligence methods to other countries, content that damaged our ability to gather intelligence. This has nothing to do with whether or not you like Obama, it has to do with the basic security of the country.
I called Snowden a traitor, using the word in its vernacular sense. I did not say he is legally guilty of the crime of treason—although he might be. I discussed that topic in this post.
Snowden is not a good guy with the US’s interests at heart. Nor is he anti-Obama. He is dangerously naive, and working in concert with countries that are up to no good.
I don’t know how good security is now, really. I do know, when I worked on a computer system while hospitalized at Bethesda, I was able to… ascertain passwords easily.
No, I am not, and have not become, a hacker. Nor was I snooping. Simply, I was asked to do things and wasn’t always given the means, so I just… figured things out. The job had initially been done by 10 people. When I got there, only five remained. In the end, I was doing the job solo. I am assuming some of those various people were given the passwords but those weren’t handed on.
The job was the first edition, for that hospital, of putting patient files into the computer. If you are curious. A pet project of the hospital’s XO. He even vouched for me, personally, at my desertion captain’s mast. Never… mind… Just saying, I’m not sure I trust government security in the main.
Neo: “Snowden gave intelligence content and divulged intelligence methods to other countries, content that damaged our ability to gather intelligence. “
Exactly! I often feel that the news media does NOT emphasize this point enough.
Here’s a basic question – what has he given to Russia, that we don’t know about, that the Russians are willing to take him in? Surely, Putin is not taking him in as a “human rights” gesture.
Neo and Charles,
Obama has broken the whole thing. All the alliances are now in reset mode. It matters almost nothing – since he will tell anyone whatever they want as far as we know anyway!
What about the recent (and by recent with Obama you mean in the last few days since he is constantly at work destroying) revelation about him unilaterally ending sanctions to Iran?
Who, may I ask, is he an ally to? Who are our friends?
Secrets? Really, are you kidding?
Chris Stevcens has your secrets for you. Anyone in the field should get out. Obama will either use you or endanger you. And that is what he is doing to America too.
You guys are thinking about a world that is already over. It (the World) has even discounted Obama. We all await a new, patriotic, grown up American leader (and American people). I am not holding my breath.
THe intel break will cause problems in the future, for the next Republican President that somehow wishes to protect America. However, it is not yet assured that there will be a next President, Republican or not, at the moment.
It is curious that both of the recent high level leaks occurred under Obama’s administration.
Both from normally solid Democrat voters and supporters, ideologically at least.
In the past, the Pentagon Papers were released as a way to hurt Republicans, based upon Democrat actions. They didn’t release it during Johnson’s tenure for a good reason.