Should Obama cut a deal with Edward Snowden?

The New York Times and Guardian editorial boards say yes. But they're missing a key point.

Obama, Snowden
(Image credit: (Alex Wong, The Guardian via/Getty Images))

Edward Snowden is still in Russia, protected under a temporary amnesty. The former National Security Agency contractor, who stole and released to journalists an enormous amount of classified material, made such a splash last year that he was TIME's runner-up for 2013 Person of the Year. Then, in a rare, extensive pre-Christmas interview with The Washington Post's Barton Gellman, Snowden said that "in terms of personal satisfaction, the mission's already accomplished."

"I already won," he added.

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Peter Weber, The Week US

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.