# Is Edward Snowden just a Russian spy?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-edward-snowden-just-a-russian-spy/688133>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [May 10, 2014, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-edward-snowden-just-a-russian-spy/688133 "2014-05-10T17:22:27Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 13

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**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\
**Post date:** [May 10, 2014, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-edward-snowden-just-a-russian-spy/688133/13 "2014-05-10T23:46:15Z")

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No.

The claim doesn’t pass the most basic smell test.

If Snowden were a spy, why go to the press at all? Why not quietly pass info to Russian intelligence?

Snowden may have a touch of the self-important grandstander, not that I think that’s a bad thing in this case. As a spy? He’d be a horrible failure.

This is an attempt to defame Snowden, the Kremlin, and our largest ally with one brush.

(Our largest ally is China, in case you’re slow.)

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