> Until the guilty are prosecuted, there won't be any real change in the way that the U.S. intelligence agencies operate.
I disagree. There will be changes, but for the worse.
Because now those running the programs have a real world validated proof that people don't care and there are no consequences. So that is a good signal to crank up the level a few notches.
And: The handful of owners of the monopolistic media and entertainment industry have managed to make about 50% of US citizens believe that Snowden is a traitor, not a hero.
This means you should not expect any pressure to come from the US public/voters and therefor there is no change to expect from the US as a nation.
I think it's worse than that. Many people do care, in the opposite way that we think they should. There are a lot of people who outright approve of these programs because they think they're necessary and that they help keep us safe.
I personally think that all the outrage at the government is misplaced. They are ultimately just doing what the people want. The US isn't groping airline passengers and holding terror suspects for years without trial and torturing people for information and spying on its own citizens because the government is running out of control and the people can't reign it in. They're doing these things because "the people", as a whole, want it. Demand it in many cases.
If we want change, we must convince the population of our views. The rest will follow naturally if that can be done. No, I have no idea how.
I disagree. There will be changes, but for the worse.
Because now those running the programs have a real world validated proof that people don't care and there are no consequences. So that is a good signal to crank up the level a few notches.