Griner released... (1 Viewer)

[mikemiller1955]

I got a feeling I'm gonna be in the minority here...
but I'm glad to see Griner released in a prisoner swap...

almost all my friends have made it clear they were opposing this...
saying her past actions were not politically loyal to America...
I still feel she is an American and wanted her released...

I know Russia's laws are different than ours...
but I never could justify the punishment Griner received...

as far as the swap for the Victor Bout...
having him free to resume dealing arms...
I'm sure his shoes were filled by another dealer the day he was incarcerated...

 

[jazzeum]

I agree although for what we gave up I would have liked to see another person released.

 

[Go for Broke]

I don't understand why they can't get the former marine out. Surely he's worth the exchange for the arms dealer.

 

[theBaron]

I don't understand why they can't get the former marine out. Surely he's worth the exchange for the arms dealer.

The current administration is apparently "working on it". But not hard enough, it would appear.

 

[marco55]

They way she feels about the US she could rot there.
Mark

 

[The Military Workshop]

More of a Marine fan than a basketball fan.

 

[paxtoysoldier]

Let's free our marine now.

 

[Combat]

The practice of arresting and imprisoning Americans as a bargaining tool has become a widespread problem. Negotiating an exchange like this just emboldens other countries to follow a similar pattern. In the old days, if an American would be unjustly held there would be consequences to that country. As a result, it didn't happen. I can't understand how with America's military and economic power, that there are no apparent ways to end this conduct including raiding the prison where the Americans are being held. Jimmy Carter began all this weakness with the Iran hostage situation. Putin must laugh himself to sleep at night.

 

[bradleyl30]

I don't understand why they can't get the former marine out. Surely he's worth the exchange for the arms dealer.

I think this is part of Russia’s plan. Make this divisive. That’s why the Marine’s family has been very vocal about their support for this. They don’t want the Russian dictators to weaponize this.

 

[bradleyl30]

The practice of arresting and imprisoning Americans as a bargaining tool has become a widespread problem. Negotiating an exchange like this just emboldens other countries to follow a similar pattern. In the old days, if an American would be unjustly held there would be consequences to that country. As a result, it didn't happen. I can't understand how with America's military and economic power, that there are no apparent ways to end this conduct including raiding the prison where the Americans are being held. Jimmy Carter began all this weakness with the Iran hostage situation. Putin must laugh himself to sleep at night.

Holy crap. You want to start WWIII!?

 

[bradleyl30]

I got a feeling I'm gonna be in the minority here...
but I'm glad to see Griner released in a prisoner swap...

almost all my friends have made it clear they were opposing this...
saying her past actions were not politically loyal to America...
I still feel she is an American and wanted her released...

I know Russia's laws are different than ours...
but I never could justify the punishment Griner received...

as far as the swap for the Victor Bout...
having him free to resume dealing arms...
I'm sure his shoes were filled by another dealer the day he was incarcerated...

I agree. I believe the evil Russian regime purposely wanted to cause a controversy by only allowing one potentially divisive person to leave. We shouldn’t let them beat us on this. The Marine’s family has been vocal about supporting this and not letting this divide us. Don’t let the evil empire win.

 

[JL01]

I would have offered to trade Zelensky for the Marine and Griner. While that would have upset US defense contractors who profit from the continued demonization of Russia and never ending wars it would save a lot of bloodshed.

 

[Combat]

Holy crap. You want to start WWIII!?

Peace through strength. We wouldn't be in this situation if the cost to other countries exceeded the benefit. The US should have started arresting every Russian official within our jurisdiction and any NATO country should have done the same until the Russians released all Americans being held. The US has that kind of leverage. We are the superpower. Instead we negotiate bad deals through weakness. The Russians will take others prisoner now since this worked for them.

 

[jazzeum]

I agree. I believe the evil Russian regime purposely wanted to cause a controversy by only allowing one potentially divisive person to leave. We shouldn’t let them beat us on this. The Marine’s family has been vocal about supporting this and not letting this divide us. Don’t let the evil empire win.

The reason that Whelan wasn’t included in the swap or that Whelan wasn’t exchanged for Bout (instead of Griner) is that the Russians viewed the Griner-Bout exchange as one criminal for another. To release Whelan the Russians wanted the release of Vadim Krasikov, an assassin who murdered a Chechen fighter in Berlin on behalf of the Russian security services. They view Whelan and Krasikov as agents even though the US has told Russia that Whelan was not a spy. In addition, Krasikov was not in German custody and Germany refused to release Krasikov even as part of a three way deal where Germany received something in exchange from the Russians.

 

[tdubel]

Peace through strength. We wouldn't be in this situation if the cost to other countries exceeded the benefit. The US should have started arresting every Russian official within our jurisdiction and any NATO country should have done the same until the Russians released all Americans being held. The US has that kind of leverage. We are the superpower. Instead we negotiate bad deals through weakness. The Russians will take others prisoner now since this worked for them.

100% agreement on your posts. Of course you want to bring any US citizen home but to give up a convicted arms dealer is just ludicrous. Regardless of Griners view I would not want to see her rot but she imo is the ultimate privileged idiot to go to Russia with an illegal substance in Russia on her possession. How **** dumb can you be??? And because of her arrogant stupidity we gave up a really bad guy. If you take emotions out of this, this was yet another stupid move by the USA government. We continue to play checkers while the rest of the world is playing chess!

Tom

 

[mikemiller1955]

Peace through strength. We wouldn't be in this situation if the cost to other countries exceeded the benefit. The US should have started arresting every Russian official within our jurisdiction and any NATO country should have done the same until the Russians released all Americans being held. The US has that kind of leverage. We are the superpower. Instead we negotiate bad deals through weakness. The Russians will take others prisoner now since this worked for them.

agreed...there should be or have been a crack down on Russian oligarchs residing in the US...put some trade bargaining chips in the bank...Griner was stupid to bring illegal drugs into Russia...their laws are their laws and should be respected...you don't travel with drugs...everybody knows this is the ultimate no-no when traveling...she screwed up...and while I don't agree with Griner's personal stance on America and it's values...she is an American...she is one of us...like her or not...I don't like the idea of her or any American being held captive...the whole idea almost reeks of 19 year old Michael Fay being caned in Singapore years ago...

 

[marco55]

I think it's been said enough over the years about breaking laws in other countries. They don't pamper and baby lawbreakers like in the West.
Mark

 

[JL01]

The US has attacked a lot more countries than Russia yet Russia, our WWII “ally,” is the “Evil Empire.” And speaking of WWII, people always seem to forget that Russia invaded Poland, same as the Germans. However, the US had no problem condemning Germany for the invasion but allying with Russia.

Would like to see how US would react if a BRIC country started meddling in Mexican politics and started arming and entering into military treaties with Mexico. People forget Western intelligence agencies, led by the US, promoted a successful coup in Ukraine that resulted in the overthrow of a democratically elected leader. However, he refused to follow the Western line so he had to go. We know how the US would react and it pales in comparison to what the Russians have done in Ukraine. Mexico would experience a “shock and awe” campaign like no other.

The US is learning that you reap what you sow.

 

[jazzeum]

The US has attacked a lot more countries than Russia yet Russia, our WWII “ally,” is the “Evil Empire.” And speaking of WWII, people always seem to forget that Russia invaded Poland, same as the Germans. However, the US had no problem condemning Germany for the invasion but allying with Russia.

Would like to see how US would react if a BRIC country started meddling in Mexican politics and started arming and entering into military treaties with Mexico. People forget Western intelligence agencies, led by the US, promoted a successful coup in Ukraine that resulted in the overthrow of a democratically elected leader. However, he refused to follow the Western line so he had to go. We know how the US would react and it pales in comparison to what the Russians have done in Ukraine. Mexico would experience a “shock and awe” campaign like no other.

The US is learning that you reap what you sow.

I didn’t know Putin was a member here.

Have you ever studied Russian history because you seem ignorant of it. For example, have you heard of the holodmor where Stalin tried to starve Ukraine to death? Somewhere around three to five million died, with cannibalism prevalent.

Since you condemn the US allying with the USSR in WW II what would you have the US and the UK do. Stand idly by while the Germans crushed the Russians so Hitler could take over Europe. Are you a Nazi lover too? It wouldn’t surprise me. US and British material support was important in the early stages of WW II.

As far as Western intelligence agencies promoting the overthrow of a democratically elected government in Ukraine, please enlighten us. I assume you’re talking about the Maidan Revolution or the Revolution of Dignity but it was the Ukrainian people themselves who overthrew Yanukovych. And what did your friend Putin do? He invaded Ukraine because his ally had been tossed by the people of Ukraine.

 

[JL01]

I didn’t know Putin was a member here.

Have you ever studied Russian history because you seem ignorant of it. For example, have you heard of the holodmor where Stalin tried to starve Ukraine to death? Somewhere around three to five million died, with cannibalism prevalent.

Since you condemn the US allying with the USSR in WW II what would you have the US and the UK do. Stand idly by while the Germans crushed the Russians so Hitler could take over Europe. Are you a Nazi lover too? It wouldn’t surprise me. US and British material support was important in the early stages of WW II.

As far as Western intelligence agencies promoting the overthrow of a democratically elected government in Ukraine, please enlighten us. I assume you’re talking about the Maidan Revolution or the Revolution of Dignity but it was the Ukrainian people themselves who overthrew Yanukovych. And what did your friend Putin do? He invaded Ukraine because his ally had been tossed by the people of Ukraine.

You certainly have bought into the US state media’s propaganda. To each his own.

Just for fun though, let’s list all the countries that the US has invaded. The list is long my friend - very, long.

And nuclear weapons? The US dropped two on civilian populations. Yet Putin is the war criminal. And let’s not forget the nuclear-equivalent fire bombing of Dresden and other German civilian population centers.