re: #2 b.d.

From downstairs:

New Dudebro conspiracy theory that it was all a move of Wile E. Coyote level genius by Snowden to box Putin in:

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I saw both this story and this idiotic “Snowden’s got Putin right where he wants him” idea over at Ars Technicha.

Surprisingly, most of the commenters at Ars (pretty much a “Snowden asylumed for our sins” crowd) are essentially shaking their heads that anyone would believe this.