Britney Griner is on her way home

[LouC]

A gram of cannabis oil versus tons and tons of weapons and the merchant of death. It's like comparing 1/6 to the blm protests.

Arguable.

I still see it as a win.

 

[stealthycat]

Either the Russians want a much higher price to get him out or Biden just doesn’t care enough.

I’m not convinced Whelan is not a spy of some kind. He was always in Russia using money that it didn’t seem like he should have, he had multiple passports, like 4 or something, he allegedly was negotiating with an FSB informant for a data stick containing the names of Russian intelligence assets, etc his behavior was wierd and it’s a good example of how not to behave when visiting a country with an effective counterintelligence apparatus

you might be right - we don't know

what we DO know, is Biden and this administration has worked very hard for Griner and not for Paul Whelan

 

[TheGoverness]

I can tell we're gonna get lots of great posts from you.

Somewhere apdst's Debate Politics ghost is smiling from the Banned Heavens.

 

[TXNormalGOP]

Not really. It just shows Biden viewed getting her out as a priority and was willing to pay a very disproportionate cost. It’s no different than if you’re trying to negotiate someone into selling something to you and they’re not interested but you really want it and keep making increasing offers until one is accepted.

Joe did what he could. Trump didn't even try to secure Wheelan's release. It should be every president's priority to secure the release of Americans falsely imprisoned, as Griner was.

 

[CaughtInThe]

 

[TXNormalGOP]

probably because Putin was asking too much - like a prisoner swap/merchant of death etc? or Trump wouldn't negotiate with Putin like that ?

we don't really know - what we DO know, is Biden placed high priority on a black lesbian woman over a white heterosexual male


if this was the opposite, and Trump brought home the white guy first and left the black woman, what do you think would be said ? be honest

Trump talks about everything he does. Even the crimes. Trump didn't even try.

OH! And I didn't miss your anti-gay swipe. Pretty clear to see what motivates your posts.

 

[CaughtInThe]

Don Jr (and a bunch of cultists here) are really mad about Britney being freed.

 

[bongsaway]

Brittany Griner was not arrested for “any reason they can find” in fact i am on several travel forums and there is people from America visiting Russia right now and enjoying it, she was arrested because she violated federal law in Russia by attempting to import controlled substances.

If this was a Russian woman in America she would be going to prison and exchanges wouldn’t even be considered

Russia good, america bad.

I guess you too have one of those I would rather be a russian than a democrat t-shirt?

 

[EMNofSeattle]

Joe did what he could. Trump didn't even try to secure Wheelan's release. It should be every president's priority to secure the release of Americans falsely imprisoned, as Griner was.

Griner was not falsely imprisoned, not even she disputed she had the drugs and her arrest and sentence were within the letter of the law for her offense

 

[stealthycat]

I actually figured Putin would get more (and might have, we don't know what all was given) - Biden had no choice, he HAD to get Griner back or risk losing voting base imo

 

[CaughtInThe]

 

[Excast]

Not really. It just shows Biden viewed getting her out as a priority and was willing to pay a very disproportionate cost. It’s no different than if you’re trying to negotiate someone into selling something to you and they’re not interested but you really want it and keep making increasing offers until one is accepted.

Bout is a 55 year old schlub who has already spent the last 14 years behind bars and was a good way through his sentence.

Griner is one of America's best female athletes and was just beginning a nearly decade long stint in a penal colony.

I really don't see this as some huge victory for Russia. It just makes them look even shittier on the world stage.

 

[EMNofSeattle]

Russia good, america bad.

I guess you too have one of those I would rather be a russian than a democrat t-shirt?

There is nothing wrong with being born a certain ethnicity. Choosing a bad political program is a choice

 

[TheGoverness]

Trump talks about everything he does. Even the crimes. Trump didn't even try.

Trump really is like a stupid villain. It's amazing this guy was ever President.

 

[Litwin]

Just announced by President Biden on Twitter.

She is on a plane bound for home.

one for sure, US still lives in peacetime (pootler really needs the shells) ... Brittney-Griner will leave GULAG but Victor Bout - a convicted arms dealer and a big prize for Moscow´s war in Ukraine. putin runs out off shells , and we deliver him - V. Bout .... many (mostly Ukrainians ) are gonna be killed due this exchange...

 

[Taylor]

Paul Wheelan was convicted and imprisoned during Trump's term. For those who are bashing Joe's administration. Why didn't Trump negotiate Wheelan's release? He had a great relationship with Putin at the time.

Are we supposed to cheer that, too?

 

[CaughtInThe]

Griner was not falsely imprisoned, not even she disputed she had the drugs and her arrest and sentence were within the letter of the law for her offense

if there's anything we know it's that Putin and his thugs are honest and straight shooters that wouldn't do anything (including poisoning opponents) to stay in power, enrich themselves and horde the poker chips. they would never pressure locals to do stuff.

damn dude. wake up. join the world of reality.

 

[bongsaway]

why didn't Biden help Paul Whelan?

How do you know he and his administration isn't working on it every day?

 

[TXNormalGOP]

Griner was not falsely imprisoned, not even she disputed she had the drugs and her arrest and sentence were within the letter of the law for her offense

The punishment did not fit the crime. She was falsely imprisoned. The sentencing was not based on Russian law, it was directed by the Kremlin to punish and troll America.

 

[stealthycat]

Are we supposed to cheer that, too?

truth is, Trump didn't have a relationship with Putin regardless of what liberals say

Biden has the relationship, he just made a deal with the man didn't he ?

 

[notquiteright]

People go to jail for careless accidents all the time. Sometimes for a long time.

More so if poor and 'urban'....

 

[The AntiDonald]

why didn't Biden help Paul Whelan?

If Biden has said no deal for just the one release of Griner, both of them would have stayed over there in jail. Biden took the deal he could get at the moment. Saving one American is way better than not saving anyone. He has stated many times the work to get Whelan out will never stop.

He said he would do his best to get Griner out and he did. I would bet he gets Whalen out also with some more negotiations.

Biden keeps racking up the wins while MAGA keeps the hate coming. I would wager that Biden could care less.

 

[stealthycat]

How do you know he and his administration isn't working on it every day?

they might be

but we see the results with Griner and not Whelan don't we ?

 

[OrphanSlug]

On the other hand we get citizens back who got held on trumped up charges, so they can go on with their lives, and we get rid of criminals of foreign citizenship which we will no longer have to house and feed and provide medical care to.

I understand your point but then I go further and see an up side to this.

My issue is the down the road cost.

No matter if you agree or not about the "trumped up charges" on Britney Griner, the reality is if you go to a nation like Russia (or several others) you are at the mercy of that nation and government. Right or wrong, on the up and up or made up, does not really matter. Our interpretation of right and wrong, or response to a "crime," really does not matter inside of another nation.

In this case the cost is an arms dealer with questionable ties to people in Russia and even more questionable business dealings outside of Russia.

It is not just him that becomes the problem, but the next one the US arrests for some reason encourages the nation of origin to grab an American and wait for the right conditions to weaponize that arrest no matter how legit or not we interpret that arrest. Whatever cost for dealing with that prisoner is immaterial to this conversation, we are already the incarceration capital of the planet.

IMHO, Britney Griner made a mistake running around with something Russia takes far more seriously than the US does even if we do not agree with how Russia looks at these things. We made a bigger mistake releasing an arms dealer to get her back.

 

[EMNofSeattle]

if there's anything we know it's that Putin and his thugs are honest and straight shooters that wouldn't do anything (including poisoning opponents)

The guy poisoned with polonium was not an opponent, he was an actual traitor

to stay in power, enrich themselves and horde the poker chips. they would never pressure locals to do stuff.

damn dude. wake up. join the world of reality.

While you have every right to hate Putin, that doesn’t change Griner was lawfully arrested and sentenced and she admitted she was guilty