Considering the enormous value of the information he has revealed, and the abuses he has exposed, Mr. Snowden deserves better than a life of permanent exile, fear and flight. He may have committed a crime to do so, but he has done his country a great service. It is time for the United States to offer Mr. Snowden a plea bargain or some form of clemency that would allow him to return home, face at least substantially reduced punishment in light of his role as a whistle-blower, and have the hope of a life advocating for greater privacy and far stronger oversight of the runaway intelligence community. ...
When someone reveals that government officials have routinely and deliberately broken the law, that person should not face life in prison at the hands of the same government.
-- Editorial Board of the New York Times, "
Edward Snowden, Whistle-Blower", New York Times, 1 January 2014
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