You have understand a little repeated piece of the problem.
The NSA hired 30,000 hackers, breakers, and geeks in the 2004 to 2010. If they fired these guys there would be 30,000 more Snowdens out there sharing what our elected felons want kept secret so they don't go to jail.

There only choice would be to execute them and that would make 60,000 more enemies since all of them have pards, sibilings, and parents.

So they back them out of self preservation!