Snowden Response

I watched Brian William's interview of Edward Snowden. My take: If he is a patriot, he should be treated as a patriot who made a mistake [perhaps]. If he's a spy, he should be treated as a spy. But if he is a patriot, he should not be treated as a spy. When I  hear him, I'm inclined to believe that he is a patriot who is concerned, as we all must be, with how government intelligence agencies gather and use information--and the secrecy necessary in that process in order to provide national security--and the accountability of those people who gather and use that information--and how that information is being and will be used.  These are legitimate concerns; and his expose' has brought them to our attention. Whatever we  do about Snowden--and I hope it will be just and compassionate--we should look deeply into those issues that he has brought to light. 
Here's a question for us to ponder, in light of the power wielded by intelligence-gatherers:  Are government intelligence agencies accountable ultimately to the American people? [Remember, this is a government "of, for, and by the people"]. If so, how is that accountability being fleshed out?  We started a war based on false intelligence. How should we process that fact?
Warfare has morphed into something that requires new and unprecedented strategies. It seems inevitable that we will confront these types of problems as we make the necessary responses to terrorism.  How can we give intelligence agencies secrecy without also handing over powers that threaten democracy. If these agencies are asking us to simply trust them, they are ignoring a fundamental principle of human government: power minus accountability equals tyranny and abuse.  Our Founding Fathers were well acquainted with this principle; that's why we have three branches of government, a free press, and a Constitution that emphasizes the limits as well as the proper exercising of power. Our Founding Fathers did not trust government that was not harnessed and accountable. Neither should we. [Nor, by the way, should we give in to paranoid fears of the government.]  My hope is that these important questions will addressed openly, and that we will find a balance that, on the one hand, preserves our security from forces who are willing to use subversion, deception and secrecy; and, on the other, preserves fundamental rights of freedom from unnecessary governmental intrusion, search, and invasion of privacy.
Since we are "one nation, under God", I trust that we will be able to do so, as we have overcome many threats throughout our history.