Obama clearly believes that the US should continue its cyber imperialism by taking full advantage of its gigantic intelligence community, as well as the major US Internet companies, which over the years have either collaborated with or been abused by the NSA in its massive worldwide surveillance program.

While few US media organizations dare to call Snowden a hero, the 30-year-old is much less controversial in other parts of the world. Just late last month, two prominent Norwegian politicians nominated Snowden for the Nobel Peace Prize to be announced later this year.

Although it is unlikely the Nobel Peace Prize Committee will dare to upset the US and grant Snowden the laureate, such a prize for Snowden will be less controversial than its 2009 winner, Obama, who is now trying to hunt Snowden down.

However, there is some hope that Snowden might actually be granted the prize as Snowden was declared Person of the Year by the British newspaper, The Guardian. He was also on the top of the 2013 list of Leading Global Thinkers by Foreign Policy.

In fact, Snowden won several awards last year, including receiving the "Whistleblower Prize" in Germany and the Sam Adams Award presented by a group of four American former intelligence officers and whistleblowers.

On Tuesday, Snowden was elected to serve as rector of the University of Glasgow, becoming the first US citizen to occupy that position in its 366-year history.

Compared to people in other parts of the world, many in the US think differently of Snowden. But it may not take too long before they realize what one Snowden poster says: Enemy of the State, Hero to the People.

The author, based in Washington, is deputy editor of China Daily USA. chenweihua@chinadailyusa.com

(China Daily 02/21/2014 page8)