HERO!!!! Glenn Greenwald Identifies Ed Snowden as his NSA Whistleblower Source

Ed Snowden is the whistleblower behind the biggest "leak" in NSA history, Glenn Greenwald reports, in an interview in Hong Kong with this 29 year old American hero. Snowden explains his motives and how he decided on where he's holed up, without hiding in the shadows. This article is a summary of a much longer article in the guardian that is must read. 

from must-watch video on Guardian site by Guardian

Link to video of Glenn Greenwald interviewing Snowden on Guardian-- Must Watch: NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden: 'I don't want to live in a society that does these sort of things'

Snowden is a former CIA technical assistant, who for the past four years was working for the NSA as an employee of Booz Allen-- a defense contractor. He'd worked as an employee of Booz Allen and Dell for NSA, for four years. 

The Guardian article says that Snowden wanted to reveal his identity, reporting, " From the moment he decided to disclose numerous top-secret documents to the public, he was determined not to opt for the protection of anonymity. "I have no intention of hiding who I am because I know I have done nothing wrong," he said."

Glenn Greenwald ,  and his two co-authors, Ewen MacAskill  and  Laura Poitras, say, " Snowden will go down in history as one of America's most consequential whistleblowers, alongside Daniel Ellsberg and Bradley Manning. He is responsible for handing over material from one of the world's most secretive organisations -- the  NSA ."

They report that Snowden wrote, in a note accompanying the first set of documents he provided: 

"I understand that I will be made to suffer for my actions," but "I will be satisfied if the federation of secret law, unequal pardon and irresistible executive powers that rule the world that I love are revealed even for an instant."

"...I really want the focus to be on these documents and the debate which I hope this will trigger among citizens around the globe about what kind of world we want to live in." He added: "My sole motive is to inform the public as to that which is done in their name and that which is done against them."

The article reports that Snowden left a good life-- a $200,000 a year job, a girlfriend he lived with in Hawaii, and a family he loves. They report he said,  "I'm willing to sacrifice all of that because I can't in good conscience allow the US government to destroy  privacy , internet freedom and basic liberties for people around the world with this massive surveillance machine they're secretly building."

So, on May 20th, Snowden, after making preparations and copying his last document at NSA, flew to Hong Kong, where he's been holed up in a hotel since then, knowing that he is at great risk. 

The article quotes Snowden,   ..." All my options are bad," he said then the reporters observe,  "The US could begin extradition proceedings against him, a potentially problematic, lengthy and unpredictable course for Washington. Or the Chinese government might whisk him away for questioning, viewing him as a useful source of information. Or he might end up being grabbed and bundled into a plane bound for US territory." 

They report that the main lesson Snowden has taken from this experience is "you can't wait around for someone else to act. I had been looking for leaders, but I realised that leadership is about being the first to act."

Ed Snowden is an American hero. It is highly likely that the Obama administration and its attack dog, Eric Holder will aggressively pursue the arrest and imprisonment of Snowden, as they've done with other whistleblowers-- more whistleblowers, in fact, than all other presidents combined. But there is no doubt in my mind that the traitor in this case is not Snowden, but Obama and Holder, for literally changing the very nature of our culture and society. 

Greenwald and company make it clear that Snowden is burning through money, living in a hotel, using room-service for meals. 

It is interesting to note that Snowden was a private contractor, working for Booz Allen, a company which has been criticized for its incestuous relationship with government and military employees. This has nothing to do with Snowden's character, but it will be interesting to see how the government treats Booz Allen, Snowden's employer. My guess they will be off the hook.