I've said it before and I'll say it again: what the population finds important and what the NSA finds important are completely two different things - and that's a big reason why there is such a discontinuity between the two cultures.
Snowden supporters see his actions in the context of domestic surveillance, and since it is quite a controversial program, they see a "Snowden bargain" under this light. How could someone be prosecuted for raising awareness on something so important for so many people?
The intelligence and security community see everything else he disclosed as way more important. All the things that have absolutely nothing to do with domestic surveillance, but that Snowden happily and eagerly shared with the world.
For the citizens, the domestic surveillance is a first step toward a police state. For the NSA, it's just a mean to a end, a mission that was given to them by politicians even if it is ultimately foreign to many traditional practices of the organisation, and more importantly, something they would readily end if there is a genuine political will to do so.
On the other hand, the citizens don't see the importance and the value of all the things Snowden disclosed. For them it's an afterthought compared to the domestic surveillance scandal, while for the NSA, it is by far the most damaging stuff. Snowden created the biggest intelligence crisis in the history of the US. The damage he caused could be evaluated in the billions. This is not an exaggeration.
Snowden will NEVER be pardoned for the disclosure he made regarding the US foreign intelligence operations. NEVER. Some people may not understand why, but that's precisely because they see the problem with their citizen's eyes, and not the intelligence professionals. Had Snowden only disclose information about domestic surveillance, the situation would be far different. Unfortunately for everybody, he went far, far, far, far beyond that.
