Edward Snowden applies for asylum in Ireland

Bullseye1

According to RTE he has sought asylum here. It seems to me he was doing the right thing whistle blowing on this issue. Should we give him asylum?

http://www.rte.ie/news/2013/0702/460034-edward-snowden/

Sir Gallagher

We'd be best off steering clear of that carry-on altogether.

I am pie

Applied in almost every country going, complete non-story.

frag420

I think when he sees the state of Mosney he will take back his application...

Manach

Yes. Should he touch down in Shannon and claim asylum, he must be accorded the same due process as any other and we cannot be seen to be swayed by this for fear of the economic backlash cost from the US. In a recent speech our Justice minister berated historic Irish governments for refusing such in the past. To do so in this case would be logically inconstant over this clear political claim.

bgrizzley

We should, but it seems moral fibre has been replace by fear and greed. If Sn0wd3n knows whats good for him he will stay well away from here, lest he end up going through Shannon blindfolded in a cargo hold...

19543261

Aye. Keep away, Snowden.

dublinbhoy88

Manach wrote: »

Yes. Should he touch down in Shannon and claim asylum, he must be accorded the same due process as any other and we cannot be seen to be swayed by this for fear of the economic backlash cost from the US. In a recent speech our Justice minister berated historic Irish governments for refusing such in the past. To do so in this case would be logically inconstant over this clear political claim.

you will find uncle sam will spit on irish law in this case if Snowden was allowed to stay here.

Cookie_Monster

Manach wrote: »

Yes. Should he touch down in Shannon and claim asylum, he must be accorded the same due process as any other and we cannot be seen to be swayed by this for fear of the economic backlash cost from the US. In a recent speech our Justice minister berated historic Irish governments for refusing such in the past. To do so in this case would be logically inconstant over this clear political claim.

Of course we can. One person, regardless of who they are, is not worth shooting ourselves in the foot economically.

Bill G

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

Of course we can. One person, regardless of who they are, is not worth shooting ourselves in the foot economically.

What a weak show of character for the Irish nation. "Free Mandela! Free Gaza!" etc...... but if it is going to impact me directly, then just keep quiet about it.

So are you saying if South Africa had had economic sway over us, we should of just kept quiet about Mandela's imprisonment since it might of affected us directly?

People in this country blow a lot of hot air.


"Good on him, more people need to show this type of courage".

"I support Snowden".

"About time someone showed the US the two fingers, we need more like him".

"What, he wants to come here? **** him".

Conmaicne Mara

Deleted User wrote: »

People in this country blow a lot of hot air.


"Good on him, more people need to show this type of courage".

"I support Snowden".

"About time someone showed the US the two fingers, we need more like him".

"What, he wants to come here? **** him".

It would be illogical for Ireland and for Snowden for him to arrive here. Ireland relies on a LOT of US investment for our economy, such as it is, to function. Uncle Sam's reach and memory are both far.

Snowden would likely be denied asylum if he arrived here, in fact if Irish authorities knew he was coming they'd likely try to stop him.

There are lots of countries much less friendly and much more distant in relations to the USA that are flip flopping about him. I see no reason why we should get involved in such a mess.

I also think people are foolish if they thought the US doesn't spy on it's friends as well as it's enemies. It's equally foolish to think the EU and it's constituent countries don't spy on the US, each other, and third parties.

Lesson 101, how the world works.

Kold

[Deleted User] wrote: »

People in this country blow a lot of hot air.


"Good on him, more people need to show this type of courage".

"I support Snowden".

"About time someone showed the US the two fingers, we need more like him".

"What, he wants to come here? **** him".

That's not really the sentiment. Most people just think that it would not be wise for him to come here due to the moral integrity of our government.

Bill G

Conmaicne Mara wrote: »

I also think people are foolish if they thought the US doesn't spy on it's friends as well as it's enemies. It's equally foolish to think the EU and it's constituent countries don't spy on the US, each other, and third parties.

Whether or not it is common knowledge that countries illegally spy on each other is irrelevant to the arguement that Snowden should be granted asylum in Ireland.

nucker

All Snowden has done is blown the whistle of what the NSA/GCHQ was doing to data communications, and it is illegal, they know it. Just imagine if the British government were the only one after him? Do you think that most would laugh at the Brits and take a blind bit of notice of the hot air spouted by Cameron and co.? Of course they would. I think every other countries should make a bold stand against the US for the aggressive tactics against Snowden.

It's not as if secret agents cover is going to be blown over this. It would be understandable that if their cover were about to be blown. All he has said is that there is snooping going on via data communications network (Internet) which is illegal, and their excuse as to fight terrorism and organised crime is just silly

America needs to stop warmongering being paranoid over certain things. If they want to make friends in the Middle East and get most of the Islamic countries to end their hostilities, then they need to take a neutral stance in the Israeli-Arab conflict, rather than just side with Israel, and try make them both agree on the two states over Israel and Palestine. Yeah I know there are certain things that the Palestinians want back, yeah I know it won't stop terrorism overnight, but it would make terrorism less palatable to others

laoch na mona

seen how we treat asylum seekers I'd say he dodged the bullet by us not letting him in

Nodin

laoch na mona wrote: »

seen how we treat asylum seekers I'd say he dodged the bullet by us not letting him in

It has to be said that the lack of Western states willing to take him in is somewhat sickening.

Conmaicne Mara

Bill G wrote: »

Whether or not it is common knowledge that countries illegally spy on each other is irrelevant to the arguement that Snowden should be granted asylum in Ireland.

And?

I never said it was relevant to asylum in Ireland, I would have said so if I thought so.

jmayo

bgrizzley wrote: »

We should, but it seems moral fibre has been replace by fear and greed. If Sn0wd3n knows whats good for him he will stay well away from here, lest he end up going through Shannon blindfolded in a cargo hold...

You do know they may be tracking for that as well as the correct spelling

I actually agree with your paranoia.
The fact that it looks like they tried to intercept a presidential flight, belonging to a country that might grant him asylum, in case he was on it says how desperate they are to get him back.
It also illustrates how they are now throwing their weight around.
What if the Austrians had found him on baord the aircraft they supposedly did or did not search ?
Would they have removed him and handed him over ?

Also it now seems Europe and most others have capitulated and everyones privacy can be sacrificed at the altar of the american desire to police the world.

BTW if you look back at my previous posts around here I would not have been one of the anti US grouping, but the recent trends and revelations just reinforce the dangerous path that the country started with GWB has not altered one whit with the arrival of the great black hope himself.

laoch na mona

Nodin wrote: »

It has to be said that the lack of Western states willing to take him in is somewhat sickening.

ya its bad when only Bolivia and Venezuela stand up for international justice

Permabear

This post has been deleted.

Bill G

Conmaicne Mara wrote: »

And?

I never said it was relevant to asylum in Ireland, I would have said so if I thought so.

So in a discussion about asylum in Ireland you are putting in random information that is not relevant to asylum in Ireland. Ok.

Conmaicne Mara

Bill G wrote: »

So in a discussion about asylum in Ireland you are putting in random information that is not relevant to asylum in Ireland. Ok.

:rolleyes:

You're being anal for the sake of it.

jmayo

Permabear wrote: »

This post had been deleted.

Sorry I guess I should have clarified that about the government and the arms of state.

Permabear wrote: »

This post had been deleted.

I thik there is an ice cream that could be used to describe him.
He may be a different skin colour, but he is just another politican.
He is just better presented, a better talker and more palatable than bush.
I think people are finally copping on that little has changed behind the scenes.

Permabear wrote: »

This post had been deleted.

No Western country will stand up to them and it isn't just the ayslum issue.
Look how the US immediately said they would use dimplomatic channels to discuss fact they were exposed for bugging their allies.
Basically that is another way of saying we will get our ambassadors to waffle something inane like a half hearted apology to any government or EU institution that complains.
And besides shure aren't the EU and it's constituent governments just blowing off some steam and they aint going to rock the boat.
Then it will be business as usual.

SeanW

laoch na mona wrote: »

seen how we treat asylum seekers I'd say he dodged the bullet by us not letting him in

We treat asylum seekers so badly ... that's why we don't get any? :rolleyes:

Karl Stein

jmayo wrote: »

I thik there is an ice cream that could be used to describe him.
He may be a different skin colour, but he is just another politican.
He is just better presented, a better talker and more palatable than bush.
I think people are finally copping on that little has changed behind the scenes.

A grand exercise in rebranding America.

Incidentally...

Sen. Barack Obama has shown he's already won over the nation's brand builders. He's been named Advertising Age's marketer of the year for 2008.

Mr. Obama won the vote of hundreds of marketers, agency heads and marketing-services vendors gathered here at the Association of National Advertisers' annual conference. He edged out runners-up Apple and Zappos.com.

adage.com/obama-wins-ad-age-s-marketer-year

hatrickpatrick

I would be honoured and proud to have Snowden take refuge in Ireland, but I also hope he doesn't do it. Why? Because our government has, time and again, proven completely and utterly spineless when it comes to dealing with the US. The fact that our airports were used to facilitate an entirely unjustified war and the abduction and torture of civilians in contravention of just about every single human rights charter in Western society says it all. :mad:

To sum up: I wish I could say I'd like to see Snowden take refuge here, but he'd be signing his own death warrant if he did.

hatrickpatrick

Permabear wrote: »

This post had been deleted.

WTF... I think this might be the first time I've ever read one of your posts and literally agreed enthusiastically with every single word of it. :eek:

RichardAnd

bgrizzley wrote: »

We should, but it seems moral fibre has been replace by fear and greed. If Sn0wd3n knows whats good for him he will stay well away from here, lest he end up going through Shannon blindfolded in a cargo hold...

My sentiments exactly. If he were to come here, I wouldn't be surprised if he were to be shipped to the US on the basis of a very loose and jaded suggestion that his being here might "upset the markets"...

There's nothing for Snowden here, unless he's seeking an obsequious government or a cynical and meek population.

Dannyboy83

We're too spineless to give him asylum, so maybe we could refuse US extradition by prosecuting him under our blasphemy law... life sentence.

jmayo

Dannyboy83 wrote: »

We're too spineless to give him asylum, so maybe we could refuse US extradition by prosecuting him under our blasphemy law... life sentence.

Before we all start beating ourselves and our government up about being spineless, can anyone point to a western government and/or EU one that is willing to offer him asylum or even save passage ?

As laoch na mona very appropriately said above, it looks like some Latin American states are now the few that stands up to the US administration.