[lbo-talk] Why Metadata Matters

Bill Bartlett william7 at aapt.net.au
Fri Jul 26 16:47:24 PDT 2013


Unfortunately, once it gets to the point that your government has to come out and give assurances that it will not torture a fugitive if they can get their hands on him, such assurances are probably of little effect. After all, who would trust the assurances of a torturer? It makes matters worse to add that "Torture is unlawful in the United States," since the whole world understands that torture is practiced in the United states, the denial being merely a denial of the standard definition of torture and its replacement by a NewSpeak definition of torture which excludes such torture techniques. In short, the assurance that torture is illegal in the USA is a lie, so Russia would be quite entitled to suspect the assurance that he will not be tortured is another lie.

The only remedy is for the USA to admit that is has been guilty of torture and to prosecute and imprison those who have been guilty of torture. Then the world could perhaps believe that the USA has reformed. And pigs might fly if they had wings.

As for the assurance that Snowden won't be executed, what can we say? How does execution even come into the debate, for merely leaking a few documents that embarrass the government? Because the US government has put it on the table, with a fanatical attempt to prosecute another whistleblower for "treason". Insisting that the mere leaking of embarrassing documents is somehow "knowingly aiding the enemy".

The only conclusion any reasonable person can come to is that the US state is already totalitarian in its mental framework, if not entirely deranged.

Or, we could put our heads in the sand and believe a fantastic conspiracy theory about this whole fuss being a beat-up by a right wing media.

Bill Bartlett Bracknell Tas

ABC news:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-07-27/us-tells-russia-it-will-not-seek-death-penalty-for-snowden/4847612

US assures Russia that Edward Snowden will not be executed, tortured

Updated 1 hour 14 minutes ago

The United States has assured Russia it will not seek the death penalty for fugitive intelligence leaker Edward Snowden, in an attempt to convince Moscow to turn him over.

Mr Snowden has been holed up in Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport since June and has applied for temporary asylum in Russia.

He fears torture or execution if sent back to the US, where he will be put on trial for disclosing details of massive US surveillance.

US attorney general Eric Holder has written to the Russian justice minister Alexander Konovalov, informing him that Mr Snowden will be tried in a civil court and will not be tortured or face the death penalty.

Mr Holder said the letter removes any grounds that may underpin Mr Snowden's asylum claim.

"We understand from press reports that Mr Snowden has filed papers seeking temporary asylum in Russia on the grounds that if he were returned to the United States, he would be tortured and would face the death penalty," Mr Holder wrote.

"These claims are entirely without merit.

"The United States would not seek the death penalty even if Mr Snowden were charged with additional, death penalty-eligible crimes."

Mr Holder also stressed to Moscow that the 30-year-old former National Security Agency contractor would not be tortured and would receive a fair trial back home.

"Torture is unlawful in the United States," he wrote.

Any questioning would be conducted only with Snowden's consent

He added that Mr Snowden would be appointed or could retain counsel, and any questioning would be conducted only with his consent.

"Mr Snowden would have the right to a public jury trial; he would have the right to testify if he wished to do so; and the United States would have to prove his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt to a unanimous jury," the letter said.

"If convicted, Mr Snowden would have the right to appeal to the United States Court of Appeals."

Mr Holder said Washington believes "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 case has strained relations between Washington and Moscow.

The White House has voiced strong opposition to Mr Snowden's request for safe haven in Russia and has criticised Moscow for providing him with a "propaganda platform".

But a Kremlin spokesman indicated that Mr Snowden's fate is not on president Vladimir Putin's immediate agenda.



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