Griner freed, Whelan remains jailed

[Ifreann]

From the sounds of it; it was him or nothing.

Strategically, it would have been better not to trade. Morally, I don't know.

What do you mean, strategically?

[Ethel mermania]

What a terrible trade. I don't mean to be rude, but we definitely could have traded for someone better. Good for her that she's free though

From the sounds of it; it was him or nothing.

I am not crazy about the deal, i don't think I would have made it. but I don't know i am up in arms about it.

Probably should just grab a Russian we think is a spy and make that trade for whelan.

[Saiwania]

The important question is, are we ensuring all athletes aren't traveling to any events/hostile countries that can bring about another capture and ransom request? I'm sure she could've not gone to the event and not get fired.

[Nilokeras]

From the sounds of it; it was him or nothing.

I am not crazy about the deal, i don't think I would have made it. but I don't know i am up in arms about it.

Probably should just grab a Russian we think is a spy and make that trade for whelan.

Whelan was grabbed in response to the arrest of Maria Butina, the famous Trump campaign 'Russian spy' in the first place.

[Ethel mermania]

The important question is, are we ensuring all athletes aren't traveling to any events/hostile countries that can bring about another capture and ransom request? I'm sure she could've not gone to the event and not get fired.

She was a contract player for a Russian team. Whether she was going for a short visit or the long season, I have no idea

[Saiwania]

She was a contract player for a Russian team. Whether she was going for a short visit or the long season, I have no idea

She shouldn't be playing for a Russian team. It is treason at worst and foolishness at best. No one plays in North Korea because they know they're too closed off to outsiders but asides from that, are a high risk. Athletes need to consider if the regime of the country they're playing in, can be trusted to leave them alone or not. There are plenty of friendly/neutral countries they can play in. That they willingly go into the lion's den is a disgrace we should be willing to not bail them out of.

[The Black Forrest]

From the sounds of it; it was him or nothing.

I am not crazy about the deal, i don't think I would have made it. but I don't know i am up in arms about it.

Probably should just grab a Russian we think is a spy and make that trade for whelan.

Updated knowledge. The Russians wanted a Colonel in the spy section for Whelan. The problem? The Germans have him.

[The Black Forrest]

I am not crazy about the deal, i don't think I would have made it. but I don't know i am up in arms about it.

Probably should just grab a Russian we think is a spy and make that trade for whelan.

Whelan was grabbed in response to the arrest of Maria Butina, the famous Trump campaign 'Russian spy' in the first place.

Ahhhh. Ok. Thanks.

[Ethel mermania]

She was a contract player for a Russian team. Whether she was going for a short visit or the long season, I have no idea

She shouldn't be playing for a Russian team. It is treason at worst and foolishness at best. No one plays in North Korea because they know they're too closed off to outsiders but asides from that, are a high risk. Athletes need to consider if the regime of the country they're playing in, can be trusted to leave them alone or not. There are plenty of friendly/neutral countries they can play in. That they willingly go into the lion's den is a disgrace we should be willing to not bail them out of.

As I thank the hockey gods that this man is a NY ranger I am goinG to have to disagree.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/ ... arin_3.JPG

[Rusozak]

I am not crazy about the deal, i don't think I would have made it. but I don't know i am up in arms about it.

Probably should just grab a Russian we think is a spy and make that trade for whelan.

Whelan was grabbed in response to the arrest of Maria Butina, the famous Trump campaign 'Russian spy' in the first place.

And yet she was returned to Russia years ago.

[Floofybit]

Strategically, it would have been better not to trade. Morally, I don't know.

What do you mean, strategically?

Giving Russia an infamous arms dealer when all we get in return is some basketball player isn't very good for the country. It just makes Russia stronger, and the U.S.A. weaker

Glad she's going home, but there's some other people that deserve it more, such as Whelan

[Greater Mobile]

-

[Picairn]

What do you mean, strategically?

Giving Russia an infamous arms dealer when all we get in return is some basketball player isn't very good for the country. It just makes Russia stronger, and the U.S.A. weaker

Glad she's going home, but there's some other people that deserve it more, such as Whelan

Russia is already getting weaker as a result of economic sanctions and defeats in Ukraine. Bitching about one arms dealer who has been out of business for a long time will "make Russia stronger" seems silly.

[Rusozak]

Giving Russia an infamous arms dealer when all we get in return is some basketball player isn't very good for the country. It just makes Russia stronger, and the U.S.A. weaker

Glad she's going home, but there's some other people that deserve it more, such as Whelan

Russia is already getting weaker as a result of economic sanctions and defeats in Ukraine. Bitching about one arms dealer who has been out of business for a long time will "make Russia stronger" seems silly.

It's not Russia I'm concerned about. One arms dealer isn't going to change their fate. It's the terrorists he was supplying that concerns me, if he gets back into the business.

[Nilokeras]

Whelan was grabbed in response to the arrest of Maria Butina, the famous Trump campaign 'Russian spy' in the first place.

And yet she was returned to Russia years ago.

Completed her sentence and then deported, it should be noted. Given her entanglement with investigations into the Trump campaign doubtless the Trump admin felt as though it couldn't go through with the usual kind of prisoner exchange.

[Senkaku]

I dont blame Biden for his being in jail. I do blame Biden for not insisting he be part of the deal. He has been in far longer than she has.

And already left behind once. I cannot even begin to imagine the mental anguish he must be going through right now.

I assume it’s the same mental anguish he’s been going through throughout his captivity? Do you think he’s mad that Griner’s free or something, if he’s heard? Do you think he’s in the gulag seething about how the woke Biden SJWs got the Black woman out before him?

[Andsed]

Russia is already getting weaker as a result of economic sanctions and defeats in Ukraine. Bitching about one arms dealer who has been out of business for a long time will "make Russia stronger" seems silly.

It's not Russia I'm concerned about. One arms dealer isn't going to change their fate. It's the terrorists he was supplying that concerns me, if he gets back into the business.

I am no expert on arms dealing so correct me if I'm wrong here, but I doubt he can just waltz back into business like nothing happened. A decade is a long time I would imagine most of his resources and contacts are probably gone or doing other things.

[Ethel mermania]

It's not Russia I'm concerned about. One arms dealer isn't going to change their fate. It's the terrorists he was supplying that concerns me, if he gets back into the business.

I am no expert on arms dealing so correct me if I'm wrong here, but I doubt he can just waltz back into business like nothing happened. A decade is a long time I would imagine most of his resources and contacts are probably gone or doing other things.

Manufacturers are manufacturers, he knows the process and putin has the need.

[American Legionaries]

It's not Russia I'm concerned about. One arms dealer isn't going to change their fate. It's the terrorists he was supplying that concerns me, if he gets back into the business.

I am no expert on arms dealing so correct me if I'm wrong here, but I doubt he can just waltz back into business like nothing happened. A decade is a long time I would imagine most of his resources and contacts are probably gone or doing other things.

This might be true if we presume he was just some black market arms dealer, stealing and smuggling weapons. But what if he's an agent of the Russian government, providing weapons to client states with the veneer of (not really) plausible deniability?

[Picairn]

I am no expert on arms dealing so correct me if I'm wrong here, but I doubt he can just waltz back into business like nothing happened. A decade is a long time I would imagine most of his resources and contacts are probably gone or doing other things.

It depends. Reports suggest that his dealings had significant GRU involvement in them, which may explain why Russia wants him back so badly. He can plausibly call up the military intelligence agency again for help reestablishing his business.

[Picairn]

I am no expert on arms dealing so correct me if I'm wrong here, but I doubt he can just waltz back into business like nothing happened. A decade is a long time I would imagine most of his resources and contacts are probably gone or doing other things.

Manufacturers are manufacturers, he knows the process and putin has the need.

His suppliers were mainly Bulgarian arms manufacturers (such as BETA JSC and KAS Engineering Consortium/BMG-M) which skirted US and UN sanctions to sell arms to terror-supporting countries. In the grand scheme of things Bout is the delivery guy, the Bulgarian manufacturers are the sellers, and Peter Mirchev is the broker between these two.

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2012 ... iktor-bout

[The Black Forrest]

Ok. How should Biden get him out?

Biden should trade him for Viktor Bout and let the sanction flouting drug smuggler rot

The problem is the Russians didn’t want that. They want a Colonel in the Spy section. The problem is he is in German custody.

Getting Griner out is much easier. When the Russians have espionage claims; the price goes way up.

[Knask]

While an American was rotting in a Russian prison, these partisan hacks delighted in the tragic circumstances that could have lead to her death— because she was a gay black woman.

Biden puts Americans first, while conservative late night hosts make outrageous statements such as criticizing Griner for being a "pothead" and saying "It's tough for me to have much sympathy for this girl and her crocodile tears."

The ridicule of Griner is symbolic of the right’s hate problem.

...

Wait, Griner is that white boy who was imprisoned in North Korea, right?

[Hyperborean Louis Bloom]

While an American was rotting in a Russian prison, these partisan hacks delighted in the tragic circumstances that could have lead to her death— because she was a gay black woman.

It probably had more to do with the fact that she protested and refused to be on the pitch while the national anthem was played.

Biden puts Americans first

Not exactly. It's more "Biden makes an incredibly bad deal, and trades a basketball player for an international weapons dealer".

while conservative late night hosts make outrageous statements such as criticizing Griner for being a "pothead" and saying "It's tough for me to have much sympathy for this girl and her crocodile tears."

But it is tough to have sympathy. She'd been to Russia before and knew the rules, and violated them anyway.

The ridicule of Griner is symbolic of the right’s hate problem.

No, it's not. It's symbolic of the right's disdain for disrespect of the national anthem and opposition to what they deem "woke" politics.

And also disdain to this absolutely awful prisoner exchange.

[Knask]

While an American was rotting in a Russian prison, these partisan hacks delighted in the tragic circumstances that could have lead to her death— because she was a gay black woman.

It probably had more to do with the fact that she protested and refused to be on the pitch while the national anthem was played.

Biden puts Americans first

Not exactly. It's more "Biden makes an incredibly bad deal, and trades a basketball player for an international weapons dealer".

while conservative late night hosts make outrageous statements such as criticizing Griner for being a "pothead" and saying "It's tough for me to have much sympathy for this girl and her crocodile tears."

But it is tough to have sympathy. She'd been to Russia before and knew the rules, and violated them anyway.

The ridicule of Griner is symbolic of the right’s hate problem.

No, it's not. It's symbolic of the right's disdain for disrespect of the national anthem and opposition to what they deem "woke" politics.

And also disdain to this absolutely awful prisoner exchange.

"Leave no man behind" and "we take care of our own" is a thing of the past, thanks to your woke politics. You liberals won't ever understand the value of freedom and liberty which underpins our great nation, as you spit on Americans and let them rot in prison just to play partisan politics.