Snowden As Spy?

by Deacon Blues

I’m not sure how you view the Edward Snowden security breach and his behavior. Up until now, he’s portrayed himself as a frustrated and conflicted intelligence/technology specialist with principles. But now, seemingly out of a desire to embarrass the government as much as possible, he now insists he was a trained spy.

In his desire to punish the government for diminishing his stature, hasn’t Snowden actually harmed himself now? It’s easier to create and maintain a sympathetic persona as a principled whistleblower when you portray yourself as an analyst. If in your desire for self-puffery you now call yourself a spy, you’ve now lowered yourself to the level of traitorous bastard, because spies are trained for espionage and entrusted with secrets. Yet you just took those secrets and papered the Internet with them, after attempting to flee to Cuba and Latin America.

Maybe it's a distinction without a difference.