This is a dangerously stupid deal.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Russia freed WNBA star Brittney Griner on Thursday in a dramatic high-level prisoner exchange, with the U.S. releasing notorious Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, American officials said. The swap, at a time of heightened tensions over Ukraine, achieved a top goal for President Joe Biden, but carried a heavy price — and left behind an American jailed for nearly four years in Russia.
I don’t mind prisoner swaps. Nations have been doing them forever. Normally, it is a trade where both nations are getting something of relatively equal value.
This is not one of those trades. Russia is getting back an experienced and brutal arms dealer in the middle of a war. America is getting a dope-smoking basketball player. Putin is working on shoring up his ability to wage war. Biden is trying to fix a domestic political inconvenience.
Once again. Putin wins.
They don’t seem to be reporting the cash value of this deal. You know there is one. Can’t help but wonder how much of a taste the big guy got for springing Big Britt. Bidens don’t do anything for free.
“Putin wins.”
C’mon, Owen. Beating Biden is like A&M defeating a grade-school girls’ team.
“C’mon, Owen. Beating Biden is like A&M defeating a grade-school girls’ team.”
Or a high school team beating the US women’s soccer team…which actually happened.
Grenier fits the liberal agenda.
Black, lesbian, hates America while Whelen in there hand is white, make and a Marine, a person liberals live to hate.
That’s why Senile went to get the Black lesbian released instead of a white male Marine.
” white, make[sic] and a Marine” who received a bad-conduct discharge from the Marines for larceny.
You’re all so smart.
You have no idea what is going on behind the scenes. my guess is that Putin refused to budge on Whelan, or wanted more than the US was willing to give up clearly. If Trump was such a good businessman and negotiator, why didn’t he get Whelan out either? I am happy to have an American back who was overly prosecuted, probably just for being a slightly famous name.
***If Trump was such a good businessman and negotiator, why didn’t he get Whelan out either? *****
And…there…is….your…dagger
“***If Trump was such a good businessman and negotiator, why didn’t he get Whelan out either? *****
Because Whelen wasn’t convicted until mid 2020 and then his appeals.
Now, that is the dagger.
Vicki had the best theory on this mess.
The CIA needs the arms dealer for some Color Revolution they intend to foment (Brazil, anyone?) so he’s back in the saddle. Maybe THAT was the reason for the CIA Director having lunch with his Russkie counterpart in Ankara a couple of weeks ago–besides initiating the cease-fire in Ukraine.
Dayum, Mar!
They’re going to need to put some ice on that.
>They’re going to need to put some ice on that.
And there are our dummies.
Yes. But he was arrested in 2018, waited 2 years for a trial, and then appeals. For a Marine you would think they would have tried to do SOMETHING before he even was tried in their kangaroo court.
>But he was arrested in 2018, waited 2 years for a trial, and then appeals.
To summarize… you want the Prez of the US to offer to release a foreign prisoner in exchange for an American who has been charged but not convicted in another country? You’re looking dumber than the current Prez, dayum man.
“white, make[sic] and a Marine” who received a bad-conduct discharge from the Marines for larceny.”.
Once a Marine, always a Marine, unless unless they are dishonorably discharged.
****But he was arrested in 2018, waited 2 years for a trial, and then appeals.****
Furthermore, Griner was sentenced in August and is being freed 4 months later. Whelan was sentenced in June of 2020 while Trump was President, so Trump had 6 months+ to get him freed. Certainly Trump should have been able to beat “Senile” Joe Biden’s timeframe……
Oh Randall, Griner was low hanging fruit. If Trump was president, she never would have been sent to prison or even have a trial.
Whelen is a different story. More serious charges, even if they are false.
But nice try. But still epic fail.
All the else two dummies have on this is …. But but but buh Trump? Talk about Rent Free living.
Oh and a shitty character attack on a former Marine’s character… While tiptoeing around the character of the others in the discussion. Lame ducks, both.
You referring to the wife-beating Griner, Jason??
Now, it’s being reported that Senile Joe Biden and his puppeteers were given a choice between Whelen and Griner and they chose Griner because she meets the liberal check marks.
Mar, the reports I read this morning were that Russia wanted a spy for Whelan. Particularly one that is in German prison and the US was unable to swing that. They offered other Russian assets, but Russie didn’t budge.
I am not going to judge this trade one way or the other. I can only assume that the administration made all the best efforts to get Whelan as well and were unable. The fact that we got 1 American back is a positive. We can hope this leads to additional communication and swaps that may occur.
Actually, the Russian from Germany is a cold blooded assassin and Germany was not going to release him.
Good for Germany.
Randy Flags bottles time: “… so Trump had 6 months+ to get him freed. Certainly Trump should have been able to beat “Senile” Joe Biden’s timeframe…”
Under prezi-denture Babblin’ Joe Whelan has been sitting in the gulag for 22 months+ (and climbing).
Real shmaat comparison there, Flaggy.
It is funny Trump is suddenly worried about Whelan. After all, as David Whelan (Paul’s Brother) put it:
“I don’t suggest he cares now any more than he did then (zero),” he said.
Hmmm…Trump has his undies in a bundle over the swap. He must have mentioned Whelan a few times if it is so important ot him, right?
Wrong,
“A review of a public database of Mr Trump’s tweets and public remarks by The Independent revealed that he did not utter Paul Whelan’s name even once during the countless public appearances and media availabilities he participated in when his Oval Office workplace was just steps from the White House briefing room. “
Actually , It appears that Trump rejected a deal for Whelen .
When asked about this Former VP Mike Pence didn’t deny that statement . He could have said : that never happened
The questioner said : You were the VP . You know if it happened .
Yet the denial never came .
Call him George Washington Pence
>“We weren’t in the business of prisoner swaps,” Pence stated. “We weren’t in the business of this kind of an uneven trade, John. So, I wouldn’t question that at all as having been the case.”
Do you ever have a point Maley? The trade was stupid, your “source” thinks so, Bolton thinks so, Trump thinks so. 79% of Americans think so. Buh bye.
The same polls predicted a Red Wave with Trump approved candidates leading the way .
So there’s that .
>The same polls predicted a Red Wave with Trump approved candidates leading the way .
Actually I don’t recall any polls within 3 months prior to the election predicting that. I do recall polls all the way up until Hillary conceded in 16.