Again, your whole position is the gotcha. Reread this whole exchange. You admitted you didn't even know who Whelan was and then insinuated him being a Trump supporter was the "answer" despite him being there for 3 calendar years of Trump. But now you "have no idea" and "wasn't asking for it?" Come on.
Of course she gets preferential treatment as a famous person. No, if they offer for person A and we want A and B but they will never ever give up B, we go ahead and get A and cheer that A gets to come home. Both of the above can be and are true. How I see it.
At the airport in St. Lucia I was told that heroin was found in my bag. I looked at the official with hate in my eyes and said “You’ll be sorry.” They let me on the plane and nothing happened. Later I told my dad and he didn’t believe me. I don’t blame him. The whole situation was beyond insane. Of course there was no heroin. Griner probably had some weed but good god the focus of our outrage should be on the Russian BS, not her “poor decision making.” Anyone can get caught up in nonsense.
Allegedly is the problem here. Trust in our federal government is at a pretty low point right now, and you can bet that position will not go unchallenged. Russia could come out today and give a reasonable explanation why, and half the country would claim it's a plot. If Russia wants to continue to do what Russia has done for decades, it would be their best interest to have absolutely no interest in dealing for Whelan. Given how the Grinder situation was hotly debated by all the talking heads from politics to sports media months ago and opposition media made sure Whelan's name was imprinted on the minds of the current administration's detractors, wouldn't it make sense for them to offer up Grinder to further sow division and destabilize the US? Look at what it's doing in the this thread. I'm sure talk radio is whipping up the masses right now. I'm not saying they shouldn't have made the deal. No one should wish imprisonment on another person for such a small offense no matter how senseless and avoidable it was, but it's not necessarily as simple as Russia gets an old arms dealer and we get a women's basketball player.
This is likely true. If the person imprisoned was simply a fan of Britany Griner who happened to look like her, share her beliefs, sexual orientation and was basically a carbon copy of her except she was unknown and wound up in a Russian prison, we probably wouldn't know her name.
I’d be willing to bet him being a trump supporter hasn’t been motivational for Biden to work too hard for his release. I don’t recall reading much or hearing about Whelan the last couple years and have a feeling we would have heard more or seen more pressure if his demographics and politics were the opposite. You don’t agree. It is what it is. At least I’m aware and don’t ignore the obvious for the sake of being politically correct.
I'm willing to bet it doesn't enter into the calculus at all, as I have never heard that before you said it but have read and heard about him. I could link you news stories about Griner from months ago where he is also discussed, but would that even move the needle for you? You're NOT aware. YOU said so. You didn't know who he WAS. I don't even know what is politically correct. Nothing these days is, I suspect, when even someone getting freed from Russia is somehow a partisan problem.
I would like to note Griner is, officially, considered to be wrongfully convicted, so the drug charge, from the perspective of the federal government, give Whelan and her have the same status as being wrongfully held by a foreign government. Her exercising free speech, legally, in this country doesn't put her behind in line for another American citizen. Not being sufficiently patriotic to a segment of the population shouldn't be a consideration in the government's negotiations. Had they offered Whelan instead of Griner and made her the no go, then they should've taken that deal. As it stands, they proposed the opposite deal and Griner goes home. Russia offered to send a wrongfully convicted American sitting in a foreign jail cell (more like a sweatshop) and we took the deal. Good. I've heard of Whelan for years, as well, and don't care if he's a Trump supporter or even a Marine. I would hope there's no criteria other than being an American citizen wrongly convicted in determining who comes home.
“this wasn’t a bad trade.” Really just wasting time debating if that is someone’s stance. Time to move back on out of the politics forum. It’s crazy in here.
As opposed to you being "willing to bet" something happened for which you have not one bit of evidence for existing? It's not a bad trade. A wrongfully held American citizen is coming home. That is a good thing.
Yes, very crazy. Whelan's brother is crazy too. 2 in Russian penal colonies is better than 1, very sane and rational. Glad you heard about this situation with Whelan today and could step in and speak out against the outrage of someone else not also being held.
Not outraged. Just amused at the circumstances and gymnastics. Trading the merchant of death for Britney Griner sounds like a Will Ferrell SNL skit.
I won’t light you up, but there has to be a line somewhere right? Where’s the line? A man must have a body count of how many before this becomes a poor decision?
Russia is pulling the “espionage” card on Whalen which amplifies the severity of his conviction in their eyes. Given the totality of the circumstances at the moment, I can understand how Russian officials fail to foresee a political win in green lighting an “American spy” go free.
Probably TL;DR for some who prefer their info from Twitter. Bottomline: Trump did [uck fay] all to get Whelan home, supporter or not. https://www.theatlantic.com/politic...elan-caught-between-trump-and-kremlin/601411/ https://www.beltwaybreakfast.com/wh...cky-paul-whelan-is-rotting-in-a-russian-jail/
