John Kerry responds to Edward Snowden: 'Man up' and return home

John Kerry responds to Edward Snowden: &#039;Man up&#039; and return home

(Image credit: ANDREAS RENTZ/Getty Images)

last updated 8 January 2015

NSA leaker Edward Snowden is getting a lot of attention for his high-profile interview with NBC's Brian Williams. The network also got a response from Secretary of State John Kerry on Wednesday morning's Today show. Kerry wasn't terribly sympathetic to Snowden's assertion that the U.S. forced him to stay in Russia by revoking his passport. "For a supposedly smart guy, that's a pretty dumb answer," Kerry said. "If Mr. Snowden wants to come back to the United States, we'll have him on a flight today."

Kerry argued that Snowden should "come back and make his case" — in fact, he essentially dared him to "man up and come back to the United States." The "fugitive from justice" would be tried for his alleged crimes, Kerry added, but "if he cares so much about America and he believes in America, he should trust the American system of justice." Don't expect Snowden to rise to the challenge.

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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.

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