Co-workers at Booze Allen described Snowden as something of a “genius” and they corroborate his wide security clearances. He was even offered a job directly with the NSA’s elite team known as Tailored Access Operations, but turned it down to join Booze Allen.http://www.forbes.com/sites/andygreenberg/2013/12/16/an-nsa-coworker-remembers-the-real-edward-snowden-a-genius-among-geniuses/ So, no, there is no reason to seriously doubt Snowden’s security clearances.

Yes, Drake, Binney, Loomis and Weibe all worked directly for the NSA. Snowden was a contractor. That has no bearing on how severe the punishment would be for divulging information. In fact, if anything, one could reasonably assume that if someone worked directly for an agency they might be punished more severely. At no time, however, did Drake, Binney, Loomis or Weibe fear for their lives. They did fear long imprisonment. Now, in order to know that “most” unsung heroes were killed, you’d need to know the total amount of unsung heroes. So please kindly provide a source for your original number of unsung heroes, then a source citing the number of heroes who were actually killed. Yeah, didn’t think so.

Rappaport tries to make Snowden’s story out to be some sort of conspiracy theory involving a turf war between the FBI, CIA and NSA. Of all possible explanations, this seems to be the least likely, especially given the absolute zero evidence provided. And the fact that no such turf war has ever been associated with previous whistleblowers like Drake, Binney, Loomis, Weibe or Mark Klein (AT&T).

Snowden was a CONTRACTOR under Booz-Allen, and paid by Booz-Allen. Plus, Snowden did not work this job for very long. Mr. Drake, Mr. Binney, Mr. Loomis, and Mr. Weibe all worked for YEARS on the job, and slowly progessed to those higher-levels of trust within the organization(s).

Edward Snowden’s stories have some room for serious doubts as to their accuracy and authenticity. Perhaps he may feel he is doing something humanitarian, but his story does not add up!

– Plus,

I said “MOST”, not all! So please stop reading into my remarks those things I did not say!

Plus,

Snowden “appears” to have “made of with” far more complete details of the intelligence operations (most of which were already out in the oublic domain, if one were to spend some time looking around, carefully).

Plus,

What about the “unsung heroes” who WERE killed (died under mysterious circumstances) who once worked for one or more of these agencies/organizations? – Any bother to try and find out what they knew or were trying to tell the public? When you see “a trail of bodies” surrounding an issue, agency, organization, or even a (so-called) “VIP”, does that not make you take notice? – Or do you just, like most, turn away from it and accept the establishment’s explanation of things?

Does THIS sound like something coming from someone who has worked as a government-paid “super-spook” or other intelligence contractor???

FAIL!

Try again!

Also,

Since WHEN do newly-hired folks to any defense/security-related activity get total access to information within the first few years of their job??? – NONE that I am aware of.

Also,

ANY well-established firm or organization is going to have multiple, over-laying checks and balances on access to any sensitive information AND hardware. This is to PREVENT unauthorized access and disclosure to unauthorized parties any sensitive information and hardware!

AND, NO – I have never had anything to do with the NSA. I have no degree and have not rened a clearance since I left the service (military). – So, the speculation is from YOU.

What I have stated is from commonsense and a bit of knowledge on history, to include that of these various agencies. If you have been alive long enough, and have a fair-to-decent memory of those events you lived through, then the rest is, shall we say, “academic”.