As it turns out, the veteran journalist was right:
He didn't do it for the money. In fact, at the time, he didn't even know there would be a payout - albeit, in his case, secret. What disheartened him the most was to learn that politics work the same way the world over, including this one country. As in: the president or prime minister wants credit, regardless if he or she deserves it, and his or her subordinates are willing to go along - including in this one part of the state. What happened, exactly? He saw something and said something. It's ironic, given the current environment, that he and his family have finally been granted passage out of their native country, where they've been in danger. If they made a movie about what really happened, it might not win any awards, but at least it would be accurate.
He didn't do it for the money. In fact, at the time, he didn't even know there would be a payout - albeit, in his case, secret. What disheartened him the most was to learn that politics work the same way the world over, including this one country. As in: the president or prime minister wants credit, regardless if he or she deserves it, and his or her subordinates are willing to go along - including in this one part of the state. What happened, exactly? He saw something and said something. It's ironic, given the current environment, that he and his family have finally been granted passage out of their native country, where they've been in danger. If they made a movie about what really happened, it might not win any awards, but at least it would be accurate.