Third Crazy Thought of the Day: Was Snowden a Spy?

I've been trying to figure out the Edward Snowden saga from its get go.  Very little of it makes a lot of sense.  At least in the parts I am able to pay attention to. 

The way the entire adventure (I cannot think of another word, really, which covers this) has been handled has struck me as odd.  He leaks.  Then after he leaks, he unveils himself and wraps himself in the mantle of martyr (prepackaged) and then he bolts to Hong Kong.  (Really, Edward?  Really?)  Then he bolts to Moscow, but can't ind somewhere to go.  Then he starts threatening about what he's carrying.  And the rest of the world suddenly does not want to touch him with a 3m pole.

Noel put up a post about Noel's support of the leak, but a definite lack of support for the man or what he has done since.  It followed a small comment I made myself.  Once his post went up, I thought perhaps I ought to do the same.  I supported the leak of the NSA programs, which are at best borderline illegal and a violation of the Constitution.  However, his behavior since has been anything but high minded and I do not support it.

While I was mulling what exactly I would write for my post, I had a crazy thought.

As a leaker, Snowden makes no sense.  The weird idea came to me...what-if he was never what he said he was.  What-if, Snowden was actually a spy and sensed he was nearing the end of his run and did NOT want to end up like Ames or Pollard.  Being a smart man, he sees packs everything and throws a proverbial grenade at the government by claiming whistleblower status.  He easily ropes in wikileaks: Assange will believe anything anti-US and it gets Assange back in the spot light.  This buys Snowden another source of $ for travel and whatnot until he's in a cozy spot and can sell off what he has.  Then he splits.

And we see a good chunk of the in open saga.

wow.  In a way, it all kinda fits.  Tactically smart guy with a bit more confidence in himself than warranted and has watched enough of others' failures, espionage and leaking, but it all blows up in the end.  A nearly caught spy.  Its an interesting, crazy thought, but I have no support for it other than what my gut is telling me.

I wonder, even with his enormous salary(*), he has been spending beyond his means.  It IS Hawaii and that's not a cheap place to live.  Sooo...investigative journalists!  Here's a chance at a major scoop.  Go dig up what you can on Edward Snowden in Hawaii and find out what his spending patterns were before the leak.  

Betcha something will turn up interesting. 

*.  Which took a hit three months before his leaking.  40% hit even.  That's gotta suck.