THE SNOWDEN SAGA – AT 10:22 A.M. ET:  All the fuss over the NSA inevitably brings us back to the betrayal by Edward Snowden.  I, for one, am tired of this lawbreaker being called a whistleblower, even a hero.  Whistleblowers don't give classified information to enemy countries and then run to those countries for asylum.  Snowden is a bad piece of work who deserves severe punishment for what he's done. 

And what is behind his betrayal?   Here is the latest idea, from a knowledgeable guy, via Fox:

The chairman of the House Intelligence Committee has questioned whether Edward Snowden acted alone in leaking details of the National Security Agency's surveillance programs to U.S. and British newspapers last year.

In a prerecorded interview due to air on NBC's "Meet The Press" Sunday, Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Mich., describes the former NSA contractor as "a thief whom we believe had some help.

"Let me just say this. I believe there’s a reason he ended up in the hands, the loving arms, of an FSB agent in Moscow," Rogers said, according to an early transcript provided by the program. "I don’t think that’s a coincidence."

Rogers also described other aspects of the case that raise questions for him, including "how [Snowden] arranged travel before he left. How he was ready to go, he had a go bag, if you will." Rogers also claims in the interview that some of the methods Snowden supposedly used to attain the information were "beyond his technical capabilities."

Snowden was granted temporary asylum in Russia this past August after traveling to Moscow from Hawaii via Hong Kong. In June, Snowden had identified himself as the leaker who had disclosed the NSA's collection of phone and Internet data to The Washington Post and The Guardian.

Rogers has joined the White House in calling upon Snowden to return to the United States, either voluntarily or through extradition, and stand trial.

COMMENT:  I have no direct information on this case, but I'm glad that Mike Rogers and others are pursuing it, and not accepting the leftist narrative about Snowden's wonderfulness.  Snowden has done immense damage, and people may die as a result.  It will take years to rebuild the surveillance networks that he exposed. 

I think Rogers's questions are telling:  How did Snowden know exactly what to do and where to go?  How did he prepare himself so well?

Congress should hold classified hearings.  I doubt whether the Dem-controlled Senate would allow them, but the House should.

January 19,  2014