# What will the future be like for Edward Snowden? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 18, 2013, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-the-future-be-like-for-edward-snowden/669150 "2013-09-18T16:24:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![harmonicamoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/65b543/32.png) [@harmonicamoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/harmonicamoon)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2013, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-the-future-be-like-for-edward-snowden/669150/1 "2013-09-18T16:24:50Z")
Edward Snowden is now living in Russia on a year to year asylum. Needless to say what he has done was a major life changing event for him. To my understanding Russia was not his first choice for asylum. Now, it appears that any relocation to another country may be limited by United States applying pressure on those countries. So, how do you think this will play out? What will be the future for Mr. Snowden? ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2013, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-the-future-be-like-for-edward-snowden/669150/2 "2013-09-20T02:39:11Z")
His lifetime Siberian Winter has just begun. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2013, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-the-future-be-like-for-edward-snowden/669150/3 "2013-09-20T06:20:04Z")
I expect he will stay in Russia permanently. On the other hand I expect he will adapt fairly well. There are a large number of Russians similar in age and with similar interests. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2013, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-the-future-be-like-for-edward-snowden/669150/4 "2013-09-20T12:28:25Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > …similar interests. Public distribution of classified documents? ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2013, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-the-future-be-like-for-edward-snowden/669150/5 "2013-09-20T12:38:26Z")
Surely it shouldn’t be too hard for him to adopt a new identity and go wherever he wants. Russia has plenty of experts in that field… ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2013, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-the-future-be-like-for-edward-snowden/669150/6 "2013-09-20T13:11:08Z")
Kim Philby was said to be unhappy after he took refuge in the USSR. He drowned his sorrows in vodka. Lee Harvey Oswald was unhappy living in the USSR and came back to the USA. Once the shine as a US deserter type fades, he’ll just be a stateless person residing in Russia. I don’t think he’ll be enjoying himself there very much. ---
**Author:** ![Hermitian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hermitian/32/470_2.png) [@Hermitian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hermitian)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2013, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-the-future-be-like-for-edward-snowden/669150/7 "2013-09-20T13:42:16Z")
> [@Duckster](#): > > His lifetime Siberian Winter has just begun. ♫Springtime for Putin and Russia. Winter for Snowden and US.♫ ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2013, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-the-future-be-like-for-edward-snowden/669150/8 "2013-09-20T14:25:07Z")
> [@Duckster](#): > > His lifetime Siberian Winter has just begun. “One Day in the Life of Eduard Lonnieovich” ? ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2013, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-the-future-be-like-for-edward-snowden/669150/9 "2013-09-20T16:27:37Z")
> [@harmonicamoon](#): > > Edward Snowden is now living in Russia on a year to year asylum. Needless to say what he has done was a major life changing event for him. To my understanding Russia was not his first choice for asylum. Now, it appears that any relocation to another country may be limited by United States applying pressure on those countries. So, how do you think this will play out? What will be the future for Mr. Snowden? Suicide within 5 years. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2013, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-the-future-be-like-for-edward-snowden/669150/10 "2013-09-20T16:33:30Z")
> [@TreacherousCretin](#): > > Suicide within 5 years. “Mysterious Accident” within 3. ---
**Author:** ![Ryan\_Liam](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ryan_liam/32/3965_2.png) [@Ryan\_Liam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ryan_Liam)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2019, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-the-future-be-like-for-edward-snowden/669150/11 "2019-10-23T20:41:53Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > “Mysterious Accident” within 3. Oh how wrong you are. ---
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2019, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-the-future-be-like-for-edward-snowden/669150/12 "2019-10-24T14:41:43Z")
Haha, It’s almost like you set a reminder to reopen this thread. My question is this… How does Snowden have the means to live? It’s not like he picked up a job while in Russia, did he? ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2019, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-the-future-be-like-for-edward-snowden/669150/13 "2019-10-24T14:45:30Z")
What did Snowden do again? Something like spraying US classified information to anyone who would listen, esp Russia? Trump will pardon him. ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2019, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-the-future-be-like-for-edward-snowden/669150/14 "2019-10-24T16:44:33Z")
Well Russia isn’t a total backwater nation if you have money and if you don’t think he picked up a major paycheck along with his asylum you might be called naive. While it’s true that he doesn’t have much to fear from the present administration in DC future ones will more likely be more aggressive in getting some sort of payback on him. He is sort of like the Salmon Rushdie of Russia, a celebrity that always has to watch his back. His new book will give him some income and he can always do interviews, but his main source of income will most likely be providing Russia spy agencies with advice in return for safety. I don’t see him ever leaving to go to a western nation since he knows he committed high treason in the eyes of Washington, and rightly so. Maybe he will spend his winters on a Syrian beach. ---
**Author:** ![Buttercup\_Smith](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buttercup_smith/32/473_2.png) [@Buttercup\_Smith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buttercup_Smith)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2019, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-the-future-be-like-for-edward-snowden/669150/15 "2019-10-24T17:05:34Z")
I believe he has married his old girlfriend. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2019, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-the-future-be-like-for-edward-snowden/669150/16 "2019-10-24T17:17:00Z")
His life will be better than he deserves to have, and it will still be pretty bleak because the Russians own his ass right now, and if they don’t find him valuable anymore there are plenty of people who to take that ass as a trophy. ---
**Author:** ![ASL\_v2.0](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asl_v2.0/32/3525_2.png) [@ASL\_v2.0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASL_v2.0)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2019, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-the-future-be-like-for-edward-snowden/669150/17 "2019-10-24T17:49:21Z")
I’m keeping fingers crossed that Trump has already arranged for his buddy Putin to hand Snowden over as a party favor for his 2020 election campaign. I hope it’s not enough to swing the election, but it’d nice to see Snowden tried. ---
**Author:** ![Rysto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecccb3/32.png) [@Rysto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysto)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2019, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-the-future-be-like-for-edward-snowden/669150/18 "2019-10-25T00:46:05Z")
> [@Inigo\_Montoya](#): > > What did Snowden do again? Something like spraying US classified information to anyone who would listen, esp Russia? He blew the whistle on the existence on a number of secret programs by the US government that spied on the activities of every man, woman and child in the country. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2019, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-the-future-be-like-for-edward-snowden/669150/19 "2019-10-25T01:15:03Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > His life will be better than he deserves to have, and it will still be pretty bleak because the Russians own his ass right now, and if they don’t find him valuable anymore there are plenty of people who to take that ass as a trophy. His life will be pretty bleak, which is a shame, because he’s a goddamned hero, and deserves to be treated like one. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2019, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-the-future-be-like-for-edward-snowden/669150/20 "2019-10-25T01:30:26Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > His life will be pretty bleak, which is a shame, because he’s a goddamned hero, and deserves to be treated like one. Right. Because even though the government said they were going to collect all that information we had no way to know they actually had done that except for Snowden to reveal all the information we had collected about our enemies and how we were collecting it. Can’t believe they haven’t named a Meritorious Treason medal after him yet. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-the-future-be-like-for-edward-snowden/669150.md?page=2)