[danuker]

The way I see it: there is no way an individual can win over an empire.

If one is engaging in activities to the detriment of said empire, they must consider the risk of being snuffed at any time, let alone betrayed.

See McAfee, Assange, and Snowden. Only Snowden had the OpSec not to get caught - by escaping the influence of the US.

[prvit]

>See McAfee, Assange, and Snowden. Only Snowden had the OpSec not to get caught - by escaping the influence of the US.

This is ridiculous. You're deliberately limiting your list to only fugitives that also choose to be celebrities at the same time.

[danuker]

And why would more obscure "bad guys" cover for each other?

How does the game theory change?

It does not. I perceive the penalties for losing a prisoner's dilemma are much larger than the potential payoff.

[prvit]

Celebrities play a different game. The adversary isn't the entire empire, but merely the resources the empire is willing to expend to get you.

Assange and McAfee worked hard to feed their adversaries.