Three down, two to go...

Good evening reader,

Okay, I promise I won't be writing about Snowden every day, but I have been doing a lot of thinking on the subject this evening...

It seems to me, the Obama Administration has gone and upset almost every continent in a very short space of time. Since Edward Snowden leaked classified NSA information that proved it was regularly collecting phone and internet data from private users worldwide, America has done little to try and ease tensions with those countries affected. Making demands, throwing insults and failing to provide an adequate explanation to any of the countries it hacked into, has done little to garner sympathy with the country and has instead given Snowden greater credence than he might otherwise have done.

Let's begin with China. Now, I think it is fairly safe to say, if I was running a country I would definitely not try to pick a fight with China. I still can't fathom why Snowden chose Hong Kong as his hide out, however I have my suspicions (see previous post) but the clever cookie went to the Asian giant well prepared.

After releasing information about indiscriminate snooping, Snowden then went on to curry favour with the Chinese by releasing information that Tsinghua University, part of the backbone of the Chinese technological infrastructure though which millions of data about citizens pass through daily, was targeted by the National Security Agency as recently as January of this year. This may have been somewhat galling to hear considering the Obama administration has spent the last two years condemning Chinese cyber-spying. With the U.S-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue taking place next month which will focus heavily on cyber-relations between the two countries, I imagine there will be a room will be filled with smug men and red faces.

Attempting to sound like an authoritative parent, a Department of Justice spokesman told the world that America was 'dissappointed' with China and have repeatedly issued statements that they 'expect' Russia to extradite the whistle blower 'without delay'. Neither country have bent to these harsh, intimidating words. It is all to easy to imagine President Putin smile at America's attempt to flex it's muscles like a ten year old child, a lot of vim but not much substance.

It is clear that America feels as though they are untouchable; the strongest most valuable nation on the planet,  and seem to have forgotten they are dealing with Russia and China, countries with a fair amount of clout themselves. So whilst America attempts to sound like an authoritative parent to two of the most powerful countries in the world, they actually come across more like the hapless supply teacher at the end of term.

On top of this, the president of the European Parliament has demanded a full explanation relating to  allegations, supposedly made by Edward Snowden, that European embassies in the U.S had been bugged and computer networks had been hacked. Hmmm, you would think that in issues of bugging, America would have learned their lesson by now... 

As for Ecuador, what a wonderful stroke President Correa made in rejecting the renewal of trade benefits declaring valiantly that Ecuador does not accept blackmail and coercion from anyone. That the deal was unlikely to have been renewed prior to Snowden's asylum request in the Latin American country is besides the point. It was a master political move in my opinion, and, all we need now is for Snowden to join the ranks of Julian Assange and be approved political asylum, then Ecuador will be firmly on the humanitarian map. The champion of whistle blowers worldwide.

So that's Asia, Europe and of South America who are all pretty peeved with America's actions lately and you can really understand why. It's hardly surprising that a trip to Africa (coincidently, a continent that China is also pretty interested in) has involved touching moments such as visiting Nelson Mandela's prison cell or speaking with the ailing ex-president's family. It appears America is trying to win favour in Africa, a place Obama has called the 'next economic success story'. Perhaps they are trying to make stronger allies with the emerging continent because at this rate, America needs all the allies it can get.

One thing that has become apparent since Snowden came forward a month ago, is that America has been put on a platform and it's quite clear to all that America isn't as strong as it would like us to think it is. It's muscles are weak, pumped full of pomp and air.

American power is waning.

Lora

P.S. Come back and see me tomorrow when I will be writing about the political and social turmoil that is causing Egyptian upheaval a mere year after Mohamed Morsi took up the mantel of Presidency. 

Snow Way Out?

Hello there,

Like many people, I have been held captivated by the ever unfolding saga of Edward Snowden. Actually, that is perhaps putting it somewhat mildy... I think it's safe to say I have become slightly obsessed. Every twist and turn, every article and blog I can find, I devour like a starved man.

We live in the dawn of a new era, and as this strange, new, technological landscape unfurls before our eyes it is paramount we try to get it right from the get go.

It is naive to think the political powers of the world don't have the technological know-how to check up on our every virtual move. However, the fact is, just because they have this power, doesn't mean they should feel it is their right to wield it. I have the power to rob a person, or kill someone but I choose not to, instead I choose to respect the rights of people; their right to life, their right to property etc, and I do not use power in a negative way because it is, quite simply, wrong and unjust.

Respecting and adhering to human rights is the very cornerstone of ethics.

So why do the 'ethical' American government feel, that under the thin veil of 'protection in the name of preventing terror', that they can use their power in whichever way they want? Terrorists existed before the advent of the internet and mobile phones when we had infinitely more privacy and terrorists will continue to exist when we don't, they will find ways to avoid technological detection.
Snooping on us indiscriminately in the name of our safety?  I feel patronised. Okay I will concede that in the right circumstance, surveillance can be beneficial.. However, if such an instance does occur, shouldn't the NSA consult judges in the suspect's country instead of simply their own and shouldn't the government of the suspect be privvy to such information?

Snowden has done the right thing. The whole affair has gone from strength to strength, showing the secrets of American surveillance and exposing just how little power America yields over China and Russia, Ecuador, Venezuela... exposing to the public their own waning power.

As Snowden languishes in limbo, stuck in the no man's land of Shermetyevo airport and waiting on the ever unlikely acceptance of his Ecuadorian asylum request, I find myself getting a little suspicious. Considering that Venezuela has publicly backed the NSA whistleblower and has extended an offer of asylum, I'm not entirely sure why Snowden is still holding out on Ecuador? Perhaps I am missing something, I am but a humble accounts assistant, however I cannot quite comprehend why, with at least two Latin American countries considering asylum, did Snowden feel the need to travel to a country that has an extradition treaty in place with America?

Whilst I wholeheartedly support Edward Snowden, I can't shake the niggling suspicion that at least part of the whole saga may be somewhat staged. If Snowden was already in a safe country when he spoke to The Guardian, would the world have stayed as enthralled as long as we have with Snowden's revelations? I am inclined to think not, the danger and thrill of an impossible situation, escaping from America's clutches at the last minute as an administrative error prevents extradition to his home country, liaising with the anti-secrecy powerhouse Wikileaks, stuck in an airport with no way out... throw in a love story and it sounds more like next summer's blockbuster. Which it probably will be.

Regardless of this, if Snowden's actions were to generate as much publicity for as long as possible, is that really a bad thing? Drawing as much attention as possible to the leak that gave us definitive proof that the American government can and are keeping tabs on people world wide (although not in their own country of course, they do have principles after all) is a good thing in my opinion.

We need more people like Edward Snowden, Julian Assange and Bradley Manning, people who are willing to sacrifice their lives in pursuit of the truth. People who place naked government secrets on the worldwise stage and give us, the plain old common people, the opportunity to decide if their actions are good, just and moral. After all, governments should be accountable to their people. With that in mind, should we really allow the prosecution of those who brings such dark secrets to light? If immoral actions are perhaps the only course of action shouldn't we at least be granted opportunity to have an input into such decisions, particularly if heinous and hideous crimes are frequently being committed in our name?

Who knows how this will all pan out, I guess we'll just have to wait with baited breath and hope for the best outcome. At the risk of sounding melodramatic, the future of our privacy depends on it.

Lora.