Intelligence Squared U.S. Debates: Snowden Was Justified

"Always intelligent and provocative as well as disciplined and civil."  - The Wall Street Journal

For:
Daniel Ellsberg, Fmr. U.S. Military Analyst & Pentagon Papers Whistleblower
Ben Wizner, Legal Adviser to Edward Snowden & Attorney, ACLU

Against:
Andrew C. McCarthy, Fmr. Federal Prosecutor & Contributing Editor, National Review
Ambassador R. James Woolsey, Fmr. Director, CIA & Chairman, Foundation for Defense of Democracies

Has Edward Snowden done the U.S. a great service? There is no doubt that his release of highly classified stolen documents has sparked an important public debate, even forcing what could be a major presidential overhaul of the NSA’s surveillance programs. But have his actions—which include the downloading of an estimated 1.7 million files—tipped off our enemies and endangered national security? Is Snowden a whistleblower, or is he a criminal?