October 23rd, 2014
07:04 PM ET

Why Edward Snowden should agree to stand trial in the U.S.

By Fareed Zakaria

The most striking aspect of Snowden’s substantive revelations on foreign intelligence is their limited consequences. That’s because they mostly showed the U.S. government doing secretly what it has said it is doing publicly — fighting the Taliban, spying in countries such as Pakistan and searching for al-Qaeda cells around the globe. The disclosures also revealed routine foreign intelligence operations. Some of these are justified, such as hacking into Chinese computer systems — something that Beijing does to other countries on a much larger scale. Others were unwise, such as tapping the phones of the leaders of Brazil and Germany. But none of these are morally scandalous. Bernard Kouchner, the former French foreign minister, said at the time of the revelations: “Let’s be honest, we eavesdrop, too. Everyone is listening to everyone else. But we don’t have the same means as the United States, which makes us jealous.”

The Obama administration should make clear that Snowden would get an open, civilian trial in the United States. And Snowden should come home and make his case.

Read the Washington Post column

 

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Topics: Fareed's Take

soundoff (176 Responses)
  1. Blue Saffron

    Fareed, being from India and "well read" (laugh) could you please expound on the following.

    HINDUISM EXPOSED : Dr. Robert A. Morey

    “ Hinduism is one of the most evil pagan cult still operational in the world today. While we think of it as the faith of Mother India, it actually traces it origins to a mysterious tribe of Africans called the Afryans who invaded and conquered Northern India from 1500 BC to 500 BC. The dark-skinned Brahmins of Northern India claim to be their physical and spiritual descendants. “

    October 25, 2014 at 4:24 pm |
    • Banasy

      NSA figured this out way back. Fareed wouldn't acknowledge it.

      October 25, 2014 at 4:32 pm |
      • banasy©

        Not I.

        October 25, 2014 at 6:02 pm |
  2. Blue Saffron

    HINDUISM EXPOSED : Dr. Robert A. Morey

    “ Hinduism is one of the most evil p aygan cult still operational in the world today. While we think of it as the faith of Mother India, it actually traces it origins to a mysterious tribe of Africans called the Afryans who invaded and conquered Northern India from 1500 BC to 500 BC. The dark-skinned Brahmins of Northern India claim to be their physical and spiritual descendants. “

    October 25, 2014 at 4:26 pm |
    • Blue Saffron

      Mao Tse Tung : "The tourist who used to travel to India’s many temples is often shocked by wall art that depicts s odomy, child s ex, o rgies and bestiality of the grossest kind. Yet, all this is part of what lies at the core of Hinduism. "

      Here Fareed. Just to help you out.

      October 25, 2014 at 4:29 pm |
      • Banasy

        Let us do Fareed's DNA test. We slready Modi's. Traced him back to monkeys.

        October 25, 2014 at 4:34 pm |
  3. Randy

    Hey Fareed is it true you guys worship Shiva's linga ( d ik – lulli in hindi)? What do you do with it? S ukk it? Or sit on it? LOL

    October 25, 2014 at 4:37 pm |
  4. michaelsteknologiblogg

    You are wrong this time fareed. If Snowden returns to the US, he will be treated like Aldrich Ames and placed in prison for life. The judges will dismiss his political views as irrelevant. The US has no tradition for fairness in within the justice system. In addition, US prisons are inhumane. When you say he should return, you really make me suspiscious of your motives. Are you not becomming a tool for right wing pundits?

    October 27, 2014 at 10:17 am |
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