Claiming that American intelligence gathering activities he exposed represented “systematic violations of law by my government that created a moral duty to act,” fugitive contractor Edward Snowden is asking the American government to grant him clemency.
Snowden reportedly made the appeal via a letter German Green Party member Hans-Christian Ströbele carried to Berlin.
Mr. Ströbele had gone to Moscow to explore whether Mr. Snowden could or would testify before a planned parliamentary inquiry into the eavesdropping. Any arrangements for Mr. Snowden to testify would require significant legal maneuvering, as it seemed unlikely that he would travel to Germany for fear of extradition to the United States.
The Obama administration isn’t looked upon very favorably, or with much trust, just now in Germany, thanks to it’s alleged spying making headlines there, as well as around the world.
Mr. Emerson, who arrived in Berlin two months ago and is a strong proponent of a landmark American and European trade deal under negotiation, was summoned to the German Foreign Ministry last week after Berlin’s suspicions about eavesdropping on Ms. Merkel were made public. The action was unprecedented in post-World War II relations between the United States and Germany.
One can only imagine the negative headlines at home in America had these revelations taken place while Republicans held the White House.
Ms. Merkel, while palpably angry in appearances last week, has made no direct statements since, quietly sending two senior advisers to Washington this week to begin re-establishing the trust she said had been breached.
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