Good For Goose, Good For Gander?

For John, BLUF:  None are so blind as those who look for idealism in Russia.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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The Daily Beast seems a little rough on poor Mr Edward Snowden (NSA Leaker), but, as the article demonstrates, it is a bit of an awkward position, Mr Snowden condemning the US for hacking phones while his host, Mr Putin is doing the same thing and then leaking the contents.  Not the Metadata, the Conversation.  "Putin's Latest Dirty Trick:  Leaking Private Phone Calls".

The same government that gives asylum to NSA outlaw Edward Snowden is intercepting and leaking the private phone calls of its adversaries.

In the last seven weeks, intercepted phone conversations between Western and Ukrainian officials have mysteriously surfaced on the Internet.  U.S. intelligence officials tell The Daily Beast these phone recordings are part of a deliberate Russian strategy to collect and publicize the private conversations of their adversaries.

Is it OK if a despot does it?

A follower of that despot of despots, Joseph Stalin?

Regards  —  Cliff