David Shanor : Some think that surveillance by any nation is morally equivalent . Cohen : But what about U.S. electronic espionage directed at Chinese e-mail contents , communications of Russia 's president and NSA interception of communications of individuals thought to be Islamist terrorists , also revealed by Snowden 's disclosures ? Surveillance by the U.S. is vastly different from that of authoritarian regimes . He says Russia or China use surveillance to suppress political dissent by their people . Shanor : If Edward Snowden grew up in a nation that seeks to silence the world , it causes trouble .
David Shanor : Some think that surveillance by any nation is morally equivalent . Cohen : Surveillance by the U.S. is vastly different from that of authoritarian regimes . He says Russia or China use surveillance to suppress political dissent by their people . Shanor : If Edward Snowden grew up in a nation that seeks to silence the world , it causes trouble .