Snowden has lived in exile from weeks before the whistle was heard, even people closest to him have had to obtain special permit to visit him in exile and be able to return (there is a long history of Americans being denied citizenship and return to their homeland)

Julian Assange lived in exile, embassy walls, and finally prison cell for some years, before he was allowed "conditional" release.

So it is not always mortality but morbidity that should be studied as well. The leader of PKK in Turkey may never see the light of day again, or not expected to anyhow.

Both ISIS and ISIL trucks seen in pictures over the years are US spec toyotas, most of the arms and equipment surrendered when defeated in battle are marked NATO supplies.

The standard of living of Syrians was the highest in the Arabic world, after Iraq collapsed in 2002, with % of women in labor force, high managerial positions, academia, also highest.

Now CNN and other western femal reporters doing interviews with successor government officials can only expose the pupils of their eyes.

Between a dead Syrian woman and a middle class Saudi wife one can hardly say who is better off.
No US politician has dared speak out on Saudi human rights, especially female rights.

When it comes to US policy, whistleblow may not be accurate, more like whistlecry