How does Edward Snowden fund his stay in Russia?
Just like Lee Harvey Oswald in 1960s he's got a job in Russia, somewhat in 2013. He's got residense permit since 2014 so eveything is legal. He also hopes to go back to States eventually, once his case would be resolved in US courts of law.
Is Edward Snowden going to live in Russia forever?
Maybe. There's little reason to believe that living in Russia is Snowden's first choice. After all, he did spend several weeks in the transit area of Sheremetyevo Airport looking for another country to take him in. But it's not enough to have another willing host country, like Bolivia, he's got to get there. And so far there's no way to get an airplane from Moscow to any willing host country without crossing over US-allied airspace.The odds aren't good for him to ever see the United States again, at least not as a free man. While he may have some leverage right now to strike a deal with the US Government, the information he has and its value to the US fades every day while the evidence the US has against him for espionage remains just as strong.And while his current Russian visa expires in 2017 there's no reason to believe that the Russian government won't give him unlimited extensions so long as he doesn't violate Russian law or otherwise alienate the Russian government. But that can certainly change. A time may come when the Russian government no longer wants him around, at which point he's going to need a new home. The question is where he goes if he's ever either able to leave Russia or no longer welcome to stay, and how he gets there. For now, the smart money is on him living the rest of his days in Moscow.
Is Edward Snowden living a normal life in Russia now (fall 2014)? Can he walk around like a normal person?
In a two-month old interview, he mentioned that he is usually not hassled or even identified when he walks around with a baseball cap.When he sees someone notice him, he tries to avoid a potential scene by smiling at the person and raising a finger to his mouth to indicate "shhh".I couldn't find the source of this, but I remember reading it.
What do you think Edward Snowden's life will be like in 3 years from now?
It depends on how much he likes the limelight. Right now he probably thinks he's a rock star and is being treated that way and told as much by his handlers in Russia.Over time, his relevancy and their interest in him will wane as his ability to help them fill the 'known unknowns' in their intelligence agenda wanes with time. At some point, there will be no juice in the vine so to speak and he will simply be used in harvest strategies to reap whatever residual value he has. His darkest moments will follow this realization.The GRU or whomever has responsibility for him will probably try to do right by him and give him some type of cushy life out of a genuine hope that others might follow him in bringing priceless treasures into the larder for a few rubles and a middle class future. Ultimately though he is now a pawn on a chess board much bigger than even the clandestine services control. He's made it to the big leagues, only he's no longer a player, he's the played.In 3 years, his life will probably still be sheltered in his handler's back yard. He will tell himself he did a great thing and will only see that side of it. He will try to hide the intrusive images of burning all his bridges and his former life, by surrounding himself with the fake trappings they allow him...for as long as they allow him. In 3 years he will realize his total dependence and despise it and himself.I suspect that he will learn the thing clandestine services do best: develop relationships...and then betray them in the national interest. He's screwed himself royally!
Is Edward Snowden a hero or a villain?
Hero. He helped exposed the shadow government our tax dollars are paying for. It's a shame. The people he was trying to inform, and wake up to the government tyranny, are crucifying him for his brave actions. His life will never be normal again. That's a hefty price, and a real burden that he has to bare. You people should be ashamed. The man may never see his family again. People protested and threw small riots over the Trayvon case, but not a peep when government tyranny came to surface on domestic surveillance. Where are your priorities? Do any of you care? People seem to forget what happened to Bradley Manning. He is going to jail for the rest of his life and then some. You expect Snowden to stay here? Snowden went to Glenn Greenwald. Somebody he could trust. Not some run of the mill US reporter that hold a bias to a higher standard than the truth. Are you people blind or just ignorant?
Edward Snowden. Hero or Villain?
Edward Snowden Is a Hero This man will be revered for decades. He is quite literally the face of freedom against oppression. In an unfree society, live your life in a way that is so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion. Or should we let every man be brought down to his knees, starved to death, made to freeze, and sentenced to the gulag? Demand revolution.
What do you think will happen to Edward Snowden?
Probably spend the rest of his life sitting in his Sheremetevo hotel room, watching Russian television, drinking 50ml hotel convenience bottles of vodka, and banging his Wiki-leaks escort Sarah Harrison. Or, if we're lucky, he'll hang himself in his hotel bathroom.
Will Snowden likely spend the rest of his life in Russia?
Ed’s most likely homes abroad will continue to be Russia or China. In both countries, “rule of law” is always secondary to political considerations. At such point as harboring him is considered more trouble than he’s worth, he’ll be ejected. At that point, avoiding extradition to the US will be dependent on which country he is deported to, and by what route.
What is Snowden doing now in Russia?
As of right now, Snowden is living in Russia’s capital, Moscow. Back in mid-2013, Russia’s government gave him a one year asylum,which has been extended to three years. This asylum allows him to travel to anywhere in Russia, and he is allowed to go abroad for no more than three months every year.His main income right now is from speaking fees. He lectures on a few subjects, and earns upwards of $10,000 for every talk. He has also received large sums of money in the form of awards from organizations across the world, praising him for his actions. In addition, there has been several book deals offered to him. While he has yet to release a full book, he has sold some snippets of private info to publishers.According to a few sources(although some of which aren’t that reliable) his life is comfortable but not luxurious. He keeps late and solitary hours, effectively living on U.S. time. He does not drink, cooks for himself but doesn't eat much. But he has a steady income, and he is reportedly living in a comfortable apartment in an undisclosed location.He is considering taking up a job with a South African foundation that would support work on security and privacy issues. Right now he is applying for asylum in several different countries, in anticipation for when his Russian asylum expires. According to his lawyer, he is having the most luck with Vietnam, South Africa, China, and it is also possible that Russia will extend his asylum.