There are many media reports available regarding classified intelligence leaks. One example is Edward Snowden’s unauthorized disclosure (UD) of classified information to the media. Snowden claims his conscience could no longer allow the US government to destroy privacy, internet freedoms, and basic liberties for Americans and others around the world (Greenwald, MacAskill, and Potras 2013). There is a range of supporters from a former United States (US) Senator, Foreign lawmakers to other various groups and US citizens that consider Snowden as a hero, or whistleblower. On the other hand, many see Snowden as a traitor (Ferran 2013, Miller 2013, Nelson 2013). As a result, germane to the Snowden case of UD of classified information is his standing.
One problem is that UD of classified information breaks the law. According to Title 18 of US code and the Uniform Code of Military Justice, disclosure of classified information is an illegal act (Cornell Law 2012). Regardless what his motivation was, Snowden broke the law. A second problem is these leaks damage national security. To be precise, UDs negatively affect the Intelligence Communities (IC) ability to fulfill its mission. As well, UDs aid our adversaries and damages foreign relations (Office of the Director of National Intelligence 2011). What is different about the Snowden case, compared to past leaks, is a debate concerning his status. In other words, several in America as well as around the world see Snowden as a hero or a whistleblower. Is Snowden a hero? Is Snowden a whistleblower?
Purpose and Plan
Improper disclosure of classified information is illegal and may cause up to exceptionally grave damage to America. This qualitative paper ide...
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US Congress. 2012. “Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act of 2012.” http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-112s743enr/pdf/BILLS-112s743enr.pdf (accessed December 26, 2013).
US Secretary of Defense. 2012. “Deterring and Preventing Unauthorized Disclosures of Classified Information.” http://www.fas.org/sgp/othergov/dod/osd101812.pdf (accessed December 26, 2013).
The office of the Director of National Intelligence. 2011. “Unauthorized Disclosures of Classified Information.” http://www.ncix.gov/training/WBT/docs/UDB_091211.pdf (accessed December 21, 2013).
The case State v. Snowden is an appeal by the defendant were the defendant pleaded guilty to an evidence charging Raymond Alien Snowden with the crime of murder of first degree. The trial of the defendant was represented by the district Court, 3rd Judicial District, Ada County, were Snowden entered judgment and sentenced of death but he appealed. Snowed was at a bar in the evening drinking and playing pool in a Boise pool room, he and other person visited another club near the one where they were playing pool, nearby Garden city. That same day Snowden and his friend visited several bars also drinking, at the end they stop at HiHo club. That same bar he met and starts having a conversation to this lady Cora Lucyle Dean, they start dancing and having a time together and they left together, while they were walking they start arguing in the street, because she wanted him to find her a cab and take her to back to Boise, but he said that he shouldn’t be paying her fare.
When it comes to personal information in America, the genie is out of the bottle. As such, information security will continue to be a pressing concern especially to most of our top three-letter-agencies such as the CIA (Central Intelligence Agency), NSA (National Security Agency), DOD (Department of Defense), and HS (Homeland Security) as most of them are staffed with employees with top secret security clearances (also known as TS).When someone is given this clearance, not only are they slated to uphold an allegiance to core values but they are also entrusted with our nations’ sensitive secrets and are held to the highest standards. Many of these professionals are honest and loyal to their country, but all humans are susceptible to preservation, desires, and needs that the famous psychologist Maslow showed in his famous hierarchy of needs pyramid. As such, without undue temptation and trickery most handle their jobs well and uphold their commitments to quietly (sometimes loudly) dedicate their lives to patriotism.
McCraw, David, and Stephen Gikow. “The End to a Unspoken Bargain? National Security and Leaks in a Post-Pentagon Papers World.” Harvard Civil Rights-Civil Liberties Law Review 48.2 (2013): 473-509. Academic OneFile. Web. 5 Dec. 2013.
Edward Snowden is America’s most recent controversial figure. People can’t decide if he is their hero or traitor. Nevertheless, his leaks on the U.S. government surveillance program, PRISM, demand an explanation. Many American citizens have been enraged by the thought of the government tracing their telecommunication systems. According to factbrowser.com 54% of internet users would rather have more online privacy, even at the risk of security (Facts Tagged with Privacy). They say it is an infringement on their privacy rights of the constitution. However, some of them don’t mind; they believe it will help thwart the acts of terrorists. Both sides make a good point, but the inevitable future is one where the government is adapting as technology is changing. In order for us to continue living in the new digital decade, we must accept the government’s ability to surveil us.
After September 11th, Americans looked to the government for protection and reassurance. However, they did not expect to find out thirteen years later that the government did this by using technology to spy on Americans, as well as other countries. George W. Bush began the policy shortly after the terrorist attack and Barack Obama continued it. There have been many confrontations over the years about the extent of the N.S.A.’s spying; however, the most recent whistle-blower, Edward Snowden, leaked information that caused much upset throughout America (EFF). It has also brought many people to question: is he a hero or a traitor?
While the words Traitor and Hero are easy to define and understand it is the perspective of the viewer and society they exist within that gives the words relevance. A Traitor to one may be a Hero to another. In this Essay the researcher hopes to demonstrate that Edward Snowden is both a Hero and a Traitor.
In early June 2013, Edward Snowden, a 29-year-old former defense contractor who had access to NSA database while working for an intelligence consulting company, leaked classified documents reports that the National Security Agency (NSA) is recording phone calls of millions of Americans along with gathering private data and spying foreign Internet activity. The Washington Post later broke the news disclosed PRISM, a program can collect data on Internet users. The leaked documents publicly stated a vast objection. Many people were shocked by the scale of the programs, even elected representatives were unaware of the surveillance range. A nationwide debate over privacy rights have been sparked. Although supporters claim that the NSA only does its best to protect the United States from terrorists as well as respecting Americans' rights and privacy, many civil rights advocates feel that the government failed to be clear about the limit of the surveillance programs, threatening Americans' civil...
Everyday citizens often live unaware of their government’s inner workings. The knowing of political espionage is often too heavy of a subject to be inducted in conversation. True, prima facie, modest twists and turns of information may not be considered substantial, but this inconsideration leaves much to be uncontrolled. It is easy for political leaders to become power crazed, to not realize the massive implications that come of their actions. Only after all is said and done do the people actually realize their government is an opaque mask of deception. The Watergate Scandal substantially impacted Americans’ trust in their government.
Before all of the top secret NSA (National Security Agency) documents on which details of a global surveillance system run by NSA were breached, Edward Snowden was an American computer specialist, a CIA member, and an NSA contractor. Edward Snowden was a regular, wealthy, government employee with some great positions and credentials. He was an American born man and was serving his country. He won the Sam Adams award which is given once a year to an intelligence professional who shows great integrity to the CIA. Many other recipients of this award have also been whistle blowers like Snowden. Before all the leaking and background information is given keep the question of hero or villain in your mind.
Edward Snowden, the former National Security Agency (N.S.A) subcontractor turned whistle-blower is nothing short of a hero. His controversial decision to release information detailing the highly illegal ‘data mining’ practices of the N.S.A have caused shockwaves throughout the world and have raised important questions concerning how much the government actually monitors its people without their consent or knowledge. Comparable to Mark Felt in the Watergate scandals, Daniel Ellsberg with the Pentagon Papers, Edward Snowden joins the rank of infamous whistleblowers who gave up their jobs, livelihood, and forever will live under scrutiny of the public all in the service to the American people. Edward Snowden released information detailing the extent of the N.S.A breaches of American privacy and in doing so, became ostracized by the media and barred from freely reentering America, his home country.
The threats to security from the United States Department of Defense, the national power grid and the Chamber of Commerce are very real and omnipresent. The Defense Department made an admission of the first major cyber attack upon its systems in August 2010. It was revealed that the attack actually took place in 2008 and was accomplished by placing a malicious code into the flash drive of a U.S. military laptop. “The code spread undetected on both classified and unclassified systems, establishing what amounted to a digital breachhead.” (2) This quote, attributed to then Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III, is just part of the shocking revelations that were disclosed in his speech made on July 14, 2011.
STEPHEN BRAUN, A. F. (2014, May 9). Secret to Prism program: Even bigger data seizure. The big story, p. 1.
Edward Snowden. This is a name that will be in the history books for ages. He will be branded a traitor or a whistleblower depending on where you look. Many Americans feel that Edward Snowden is a traitor who sold the United States’ secrets aiming to harm the nation. Others believe that he was simply a citizen of the United States who exercised his right to expose the government for their unconstitutional actions. It is important to not only know the two sides to the argument of friend or foe, but to also know the facts as well. My goal in this paper is to present the facts without bias and to adequately portray the two sides of the argument.
In conclusion, Edward Snowden was justified in leaking the unlawful actions conducted by the NSA because he wanted to uphold the constitutional rights of privacy, which Americans are entitled to. While few may view Edward Snowden as a traitor for sharing sensitive information to the public, many commend him for his courageousness. Snowden broke the law in order to expose the unlawful practices conducted by governments officials. It is unfortunate to live in a society where the people elected to protect the rights of the people are the ones violating them.. It takes a lot of strength and courage for one man to stand up against the government, to protect the rights of an entire nation. Edward Snowden will go down in history as one of the most notorious whistle blowers
Stone, Lieutenant Colonel Evan M. "The Invasion of Privacy Act: The Disclosure of My Information in Your Government File." Widener Law Review 19.2 (2013): 345-385. Academic Search Complete. Web. 6 Apr. 2014.