Snowden granted 1-year asylum in Russia

[MaggieD]

NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden has been granted temporary asylum in Russia and is allowed to enter the country’s territory.The whistleblower has been granted temporary political asylum in Russia, Snowden's legal representative Anatoly Kucherena said.
“I have just handed over to him papers from the Russian Immigration Service. They are what he needs to leave the transit zone,” he added.
Kucherena showed the document to the press. According to it, Snowden is free to stay in Russia until at least July 31, 2014. His asylum status may be extended annually upon request.

Snowden departed at around 15.30 Moscow time (11.30 GMT), airport sources said. His departure came some 30 minutes before his new refugee status was officially announced.
His present location has not been made public nor will it be disclosed, Kucherena said...

http://rt.com/news/snowden-entry-papers-russia-902/

What is the up side to Russia to grant asylum to Snowden?

 

[Artevelde]

Snowden granted 1-year asylum in Russia, leaves airport ? RT News

What is the up side to Russia to grant asylum to Snowden?

They get to pose to the outside world as the champions of freedom (yes, right) while keeping sufficient leverage over Snowden to keep him from doing anything to really damage relations with the US.

Snowden gets to experience the freedom and democracy that is modern Rusiia!

 

[WCH]

Snowden granted 1-year asylum in Russia, leaves airport ? RT News

What is the up side to Russia to grant asylum to Snowden?

They get to B-slap Obama from afar. IMO, that's the only reason they would do this.

 

[Thoreau72]

The upside is that, for that part of the world that sees the US as being the most dangerous and cruel country operating in the world today (think drones here and there), Russia appears as being concerned with truth and justice.

Russia is seen as the UNUnited States. It has now replaced the US as the place where political refugees go.

 

[Higgins86]

Snowden granted 1-year asylum in Russia, leaves airport ? RT News

What is the up side to Russia to grant asylum to Snowden?

the up side is that they get to stick it to the old enemy.

 

[KevinKohler]

That and...you know...the dude can tell them all sorts of stuff about how the NSA operates.

 

[LowDown]

Snowden granted 1-year asylum in Russia, leaves airport ? RT News

What is the up side to Russia to grant asylum to Snowden?

Perhaps it means we will never hear from him again. One can only hope.

 

[ecofarm]

The upside is that, for that part of the world that sees the US as being the most dangerous and cruel country operating in the world today (think drones here and there), Russia appears as being concerned with truth and justice.

hahaha

Good one.

 

[VanceMack]

Snowden granted 1-year asylum in Russia, leaves airport ? RT News

What is the up side to Russia to grant asylum to Snowden?

Putin is jamming his thumb in Obama's eye. Putin hates Obama and more importantly, Putin LOVES Putin.

 

[humbolt]

Putin is jamming his thumb in Obama's eye. Putin hates Obama and more importantly, Putin LOVES Putin.

I wonder, Vance, if Putin loves Putin more than Obama loves Obama.

 

[sawyerloggingon]

What happened to Hillary's reset button? :lol:

 

[VanceMack]

I wonder, Vance, if Putin loves Putin more than Obama loves Obama.

Im no fan of Obama, but ABSOLUTELY...Putin is obsessed with Putin. When Putin goes home at night I am sure he stands in front of the mirror and admires the great gift to mankind that is Putin. Obama...lets be honest. Dood goes home and after he closes the door and is safely alone crawls into a corner and whimpers "holy ****...I havent a clue what I am doing!!!"

 

[ecofarm]

It must be tempting to release a statement:

All Russian defectors, intelligence agents and anyone who wants to leak Russian intel will be welcomed by the US for asylum. Let the Russian exodus begin.

 

[humbolt]

Im no fan of Obama, but ABSOLUTELY...Putin is obsessed with Putin. When Putin goes home at night I am sure he stands in front of the mirror and admires the great gift to mankind that is Putin. Obama...lets be honest. Dood goes home and after he closes the door and is safely alone crawls into a corner and whimpers "holy ****...I havent a clue what I am doing!!!"

True, and very, very funny. Obama might want to consider some shirtless photo ops with Beyonce and wild stallions, sharks, cougars - something. He's going to have to up his game a bit if he wants to compete.

 

[AliHajiSheik]

Then after one year, no one will need him.

 

[fmw]

Snowden granted 1-year asylum in Russia, leaves airport ? RT News

What is the up side to Russia to grant asylum to Snowden?

To give the U.S. a poke in the eye.

 

[donsutherland1]

Snowden granted 1-year asylum in Russia, leaves airport ? RT News

What is the up side to Russia to grant asylum to Snowden?

There are several possibilities:

1. Russia can position itself as a state to which others in Snowden's position might flee (with Russia reaping intelligence-related benefits).
2. Russia can gain leverage for the extradition of suspects from its country (not all of whom are true political dissidents). Putin and others have complained that Russia's requests for extradition of suspects are routinely ignored.
3. Russia has calculated that the shared interests between the U.S. and Russia on critical matters where cooperation continues, precludes any significant downgrade of U.S.-Russia relations that would affect those areas.
4. Russia has also witnessed the continuing erosion of U.S.-Russia relations under both the Bush and Obama Administrations, the trend continuing despite the latter's much-publicized "reset," and has concluded that it doesn't have too much to lose (points 3 and 4 are interrelated).

In short, Russia has made a cost-benefit guess and assumed that the costs of offering temporary asylum (which it can always refuse to renew, giving it flexibility should its cost-benefit assessment prove inaccurate) are not prohibitive relative to the benefits it has very likely already received (intelligence information related to the NSA) and it can receive (perhaps greater leverage on extradition requests and future intelligence-related information).

 

[RDS]

Putin gave him one year to find a Russian bride before he becomes a citizen.

 

[MaggieD]

There are several possibilities:

1. Russia can position itself as a state to which others in Snowden's position might flee (with Russia reaping intelligence-related benefits).
2. Russia can gain leverage for the extradition of suspects from its country (not all of whom are true political dissidents). Putin and others have complained that Russia's requests for extradition of suspects are routinely ignored.
3. Russia has calculated that the shared interests between the U.S. and Russia on critical matters where cooperation continues, precludes any significant downgrade of U.S.-Russia relations that would affect those areas.
4. Russia has also witnessed the continuing erosion of U.S.-Russia relations under both the Bush and Obama Administrations, the trend continuing despite the latter's much-publicized "reset," and has concluded that it doesn't have too much to lose (points 3 and 4 are interrelated).

In short, Russia has made a cost-benefit guess and assumed that the costs of offering temporary asylum (which it can always refuse to renew, giving it flexibility should its cost-benefit assessment prove inaccurate) are not prohibitive relative to the benefits it has very likely already received (intelligence information related to the NSA) and it can receive (perhaps greater leverage on extradition requests and future intelligence-related information).

This analysis has got to be just spot on. Thank you.

 

[jmotivator]

The upside is that, for that part of the world that sees the US as being the most dangerous and cruel country operating in the world today (think drones here and there), Russia appears as being concerned with truth and justice.

Russia is seen as the UNUnited States. It has now replaced the US as the place where political refugees go.

Looks like John Kerry will need to pull Hilary's "overload" button out of moth balls.

 

[TheDemSocialist]

Good he deserves asylum wherever it may be. Im sure it does have major political reasons, but its only one year then he will have to find another home.

 

[DiAnna]

I suspect Snowden will discover Russia is the international equivalent of a roach motel... he can check in, but he can't check out.

At least, not until they are through with him.

Couldn't happen to a nicer guy.

 

[Mr.Nick]

Snowden granted 1-year asylum in Russia, leaves airport (PHOTOS) ? RT News

What is the up side to Russia to grant asylum to Snowden?

Snowden will eventually be pardoned.... I suppose it will take 70% of this nation to pull their heads out their asses tho...

 

[MaggieD]

Snowden will eventually be pardoned.... I suppose it will take 70% of this nation to pull their heads out their asses tho...

That's not going to happen. I'd be interested to hear your reasoning, though.

 

[Mr.Nick]

That's not going to happen. I'd be interested to hear your reasoning, though.

People who have been long dead have been pardoned for crimes........

You don't have to be alive to be pardoned.

Besides, Snowden isn't exactly Benedict Arnold.

Hell, "Squeaky" Fromme was pardoned.