Politics Brittney Griner

[UKRAINEFAN]

Here is some speculation on why russia valued Bout:
The arms trafficker refused to cooperate with U.S. authorities, even as he sat for over a decade, isolated and alone, in a cell thousands of miles from his home in Moscow. That silence could be rewarded.
“He kept his cool in prison, never exposed anything to the Americans, as far as I can tell,” said Russian journalist Andrei Soldatov.

Simon Saradzhyan of Harvard University’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs said that Bout could never have operated such a large smuggling business without government protection, but that he never spoke about it. “The Russian government is eager to retrieve him so that it stays that way,” Saradzhyan said.

Freeing Bout would send a message to others who could end up in trouble, said Mark Galeotti, an expert on Russian security, over the summer: “The motherland will not forget you.”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/07/29/victor-bout-gru-sechin/

 

[Mediocre Man]

It’s weird to be both furious and happy at the same time. I’m happy Griner is free and safe, but exchanging her for THE MERCHANT OF FUCKING DEATH is infuriating. Found guilty of trying to kill Americans…..ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!!!

I am not as angry that they “chose” Griner over Paul Whelan because Russia could have simply put him off limits…..WHICH IS WHAT WE SHOULD HAVE DONE WITH BOUT unless at least both Griner and Whelan were coming back

Just needed to express my thoughts.

 

[Natebishop3]

It’s weird to be both furious and happy at the same time. I’m happy Griner is free and safe, but exchanging her for THE MERCHANT OF FUCKING DEATH is infuriating. Found guilty of trying to kill Americans…..ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!!!

I am not as angry that they “chose” Griner over Paul Whelan because Russia could have simply put him off limits…..WHICH IS WHAT WE SHOULD HAVE DONE WITH BOUT unless at least both Griner and Whelan were coming back

Just needed to express my thoughts.

The people who wanted this don't seem to care that this could lead to more people dying... in fact... I'd say it's likely that people will die as a result of this guy getting released.

 

[riverman]

This arms dealer has a Marvel Comics bad guy name but he's an arms dealer....he's been replaced by another arms dealer already...maybe even an American one. If the feds lock up an arms dealer, there's a real good chance the underground networks will balk at trusting him knowing he could have been flipped as part of the swap. Let's not pretend Russia has all the Bond villains and a broke arms dealer in Russia today is not going to raise cash in that depressed economy....his billiionaire friends are long gone.....I'm glad Brittany is free and sad Whelan isn't.....also we have 44 thousand prisoners in America for the same thing Brittany was arrested for.....all of them need to be set free....one good thing Kate Brown did before leaving office. If Bout goes back to dealing arms and being a boogie man....arrest him again in some Columbian jungle camp or wherever he's shopping his wares.

 

[crandc]

Should she have been left to rot for 9 years?
No good options.
Tell me. If instead of Grinder it was Dame, would you want the exchange?

 

[riverman]

Should she have been left to rot for 9 years?
No good options.
Tell me. If instead of Grinder it was Dame, would you want the exchange?

No she shouldn't and I'm glad she's free.....I don't care that she's a celebrity but Whelan needs to be freed as well as all the pot offenders in prisons across our country today.

 

[Shogun X]

 

[RR7]

When Trevor Reed was freed in a prisoner swap back in April, were people pissed off that it wasn't Whelan then?

 

[riverman]

All major underground arms dealers are merchants of death...let's understand that at least. Putin is also a merchant of death. Brittany's carelessness with contraband in a fascist country is the real cause of this arms dealer gaining his freedom...I hope she uses this as a teachable experience because if she didn't have celebrity...she would rot in that labor camp ..fact is the govt wouldn't trade anyone to get you or I out of prison under the same circumstances.

 

[Mediocre Man]

Should she have been left to rot for 9 years?
No good options.
Tell me. If instead of Grinder it was Dame, would you want the exchange?

No.
Again, happy for her and her family. Infuriated we traded Viktor Bout. Sad we couldn’t get Paul Whelan out who has been there for multiple years

 

[Mediocre Man]

When Trevor Reed was freed in a prisoner swap back in April, were people pissed off that it wasn't Whelan then?

Travis Reed was also a marine. Was exchanged for a drug smuggler who wasn’t accused of trying to kill Americans

Apples to oranges

 

[RR7]

Travis Reed was also a marine. Was exchanged for a drug smuggler who wasn’t accused of trying to kill Americans

Apples to oranges

There was an exchange made. Whelan was not part of it. Was anyone upset then that it was Reed instead of Whelan is all I ask. Seems like even before Bout was mentioned, people were questioning why her instead of Whelan. Didn't know if the same energy was applied in April.

 

[calvin natt]

Do people think Bout is the only “arms dealer” or “merchant of death”, like nobody (or many people) haven’t taken his place? The world is loaded with terrible people. This moves the needle like adding Arron Afflalo did.

 

[crandc]

Like I said, no good options. Leave her to rot or free a bad guy. I hope that they get Whelan out soon.

 

[Shogun X]

Do people think Bout is the only “arms dealer” or “merchant of death”, like nobody (or many people) haven’t taken his place? The world is loaded with terrible people. This moves the needle like adding Arron Afflalo did.

You serve time in prison for crimes in the past, not crimes in the future. Who cares if someone "took his place". He did terrible things and was put in jail.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

You serve time in prison for crimes in the past, not crimes in the future. Who cares if someone "took his place". He did terrible things and was put in jail.

I think @calvin natt's point is that holding him for the duration of his sentence won't make the world any safer than exchanging him does.

Now, I happen to disagree with that position, but I at least understand the logic behind it.

 

[riverman]

You serve time in prison for crimes in the past, not crimes in the future. Who cares if someone "took his place". He did terrible things and was put in jail.

I don't think they would have traded this guy unless they have either flipped hin or neutralized his past connections. More likely they've flipped him even though the Russians claim he's never turned...that's what they would say anyway. The scarier prospects not in the past or future but in the present are the death dealers that have never been caught and have neutrality for massive financial gains. or political currency...for example...Putin's inner circle is no longer his inner circle and he's got way more power than Bout ever had. In that world loyalty has a shelf life. Bout could just as easily be killed now in Russia by a competitor who doesn't want to give back his past contracts.

 

[Shogun X]

 

[Chris Craig]

Capture Bout again, trade him for Whelan.

 

[Shogun X]

 

[Phatguysrule]

I don't like it. It sets the precedent that countries can basically take Americans hostage and get whoever they want released. Or maybe it's only celebrities. If I was a celeb I would think long and hard before visiting unstable countries in the future.

She's a woman. And has never been a soldier.

You get the woman out first. Maybe it's not politically correct, but I don't even see how this is a question. Of course you make the trade to get her out of that hell.

 

[Phatguysrule]

Like I said, no good options. Leave her to rot or free a bad guy. I hope that they get Whelan out soon.

Getting her out is a great option, IMO. I agree about Whelan.

 

[crandc]

A US official was quoted saying Russia told us get Griner only or no one. And that US continues to work to get Whelan.
Unfortunately there are no nice Russians Putin is willing to trade for Americans.

 

[ehizzy3]

Whelan is also locked up for espionage

whether it’s true or not it’s a very serious charge. they aren’t gonna give him up for someone who’s been replaced like Bout

they wouldn’t even accept this guy for griner until the saudis helped out

 

[barfo]

I'm not a big fan of this. She was entirely responsible for her predicament. It should not have been a priority of the government to make sure she didn't suffer the predictable consequences of her actions.

barfo

 

[Natebishop3]

I'm not a big fan of this. She was entirely responsible for her predicament. It should not have been a priority of the government to make sure she didn't suffer the predictable consequences of her actions.

barfo

And in addition, released a very dangerous person.

 

[RR7]

And in addition, released a very dangerous person.

How dangerous is he currently, really? Is the thought he just jumps right back in and starts arms dealing? Still has all of his connections, nobody's taken his spot over the last 10 years?

 

[crandc]

Russia is responsible for her predicament.
The usual sentence is 2 weeks.
She was arrested just prior to invasion of Ukraine.

I can't help thinking if it was some clean cut straight white dude we would not hear blame the victim.

 

[RR7]

Russia is responsible for her predicament.
The usual sentence is 2 weeks.
She was arrested just prior to invasion of Ukraine.

I can't help thinking if it was some clean cut straight white dude we would not hear blame the victim.

Curious what this story looks like, or whatbthe reaction to it looks like, if it's a cute blonde girl in place of Griner.

 

[donkiez]

Tell me. If instead of Grinder it was Dame, would you want the exchange?

This is an interesting question. Would we? I feel like most of us would feel the same but some wouldn't. What about a less likable personality, like say Kanye West or Candace Owens? I think many of the same people would laugh and think they got what they deserve. So it's really hard to draw parallels in this situation.