A fourth grader could explain why "America is building an illiberal surveillance machine" is not rebutted by, "in fact, America is the nation that did these three really awesome things for freedom." Boot's counter to Snowden would be silly enough even if it merely took that general form. But what really killed me are his particular examples:

...this is, after all, the nation that defeated Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union, and has championed democracy from Libya to the Philippines, freeing untold millions from oppression.



Yes, America defeated Nazi Germany -- along with, er, the Soviet Union. (Stalin a tyrant? Why, he's one of the leaders that defeated Nazi Germany!) Yes, America played a role in the defeat of the Soviet Union, helped preserve the liberty of Western Europe, and emerged as the winner at the end of the Cold War ... which doesn't mean we were a champion of liberty in Latin America during that era. In Libya, George W. Bush was cutting deals with Moammar Gaddafi -- over the objections of virtually zero Americans -- before Obama was backing those trying to oust him from power. As for the Philippines, Boot would do well to read up on the Anti-Imperialist League.

Yes, America has done lots of wonderful things. No, that doesn't mean it is incapable of doing very bad things.