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[TallTom]

It's not MY view of gay people. It's the administrations view on gay people.

It didn't take long for Russia to capitalize on it.

Russian media brutally mocks United States for Brittney Griner

 

[Red05]

It didn't take long for Russia to capitalize on it.

Russian media brutally mocks United States for Brittney Griner

From you link:

Of course, I was very amused but not surprised that Bout was exchanged for Griner and not Whelan,” a moderator said on the broadcast, according to the translation. “He is a hero, a decorated Marine covered in medals. He only has one… no two… no three problems. His first problem is that he is white. His second problem is he is a man. His third problem: He is a heterosexual. This is not something that can be forgiven today. It’s just a catastrophe. Yes, here Griner beats him in every aspect.”

A decorated hero? Apparently researching is not his forte.

 

[TallTom]

I agree but it's not the U.S.'s decision. Russia refuses to release him so far. Hopefully that changes.

Second paragraph

"The Kremlin gave the U.S. the choice of only Griner's return or no deal at all"

I'll just put this here.

 

[TallTom]

This seems like a much better release.
https://www.cnn.com/2023/01/12/politics/taylor-dudley-navy-veteran-released-russia/index.html

No exchange of a Russian prisoner was needed.

Way to go Brandon!

 

[Red05]

Not a word in these posts about Whelan’s crime being espionage vs Griner’s small amount of marijuana, as if this has nothing to do with it. If indeed there was a coverup about the Russians offering either, that’s wrong and there should have been no coverup as the final decision was the right one. By US law, Griner did nothing wrong.

 

[TallTom]

Not a word in these posts about Whelan’s crime being espionage vs Griner’s small amount of marijuana, as if this has nothing to do with it. If indeed there was a coverup about the Russians offering either, that’s wrong and there should have been no coverup as the final decision was the right one. By US law, Griner did nothing wrong.

By Russian law she did.

All this guy above did was cross a border. That's not illegal in America either.

 

[Red05]

"A military judge sitting as a special court martial convicted the appellant [Paul N. Whelan], consistent with his pleas, of attempted larceny, three specifications of dereliction of duty, making a false official statement, wrongfully using another's social security number, and ten specifications of making and uttering checks without having sufficient funds in his account for payment … He was sentenced to 60 days restriction, reduction to pay grade E-4, and a bad-conduct discharge"

Well before he was arrested in Russia but a pretty good example of his moral character. At the time of his arrest Whelan also had a flash drive with what the Russians described as classified info. Hopefully he'll be brought home but he and Griner's pasts don't compare.

 

[TallTom]

"A military judge sitting as a special court martial convicted the appellant [Paul N. Whelan], consistent with his pleas, of attempted larceny, three specifications of dereliction of duty, making a false official statement, wrongfully using another's social security number, and ten specifications of making and uttering checks without having sufficient funds in his account for payment … He was sentenced to 60 days restriction, reduction to pay grade E-4, and a bad-conduct discharge"

Well before he was arrested in Russia but a pretty good example of his moral character. At the time of his arrest Whelan also had a flash drive with what the Russians described as classified info. Hopefully he'll be brought home but he and Griner's pasts don't compare.

You didn't read the link. Taylor Dudley was released. No prisoner swap needed.

And according to our govt., Whelan is being wrongfully detained. They don't seem to be in dispute about why that is.

 

[Red05]

You didn't read the link. Taylor Dudley was released. No prisoner swap needed.

Huh? Yes Dudley was another person being held but what does his release have to do with my comparing Whelan and Griner's past?

 

[TallTom]

Huh? Yes Dudley was another person being held but what does his release have to do with my comparing Whelan and Griner's past?

Because the release of this marine who wandered across a border didn't require the swap for an arms dealer that was known to be responsible for the death of many. It didn't require the swap of anyone.

Whelan would have been a more equal swap for him. Which we are learning was offered.

We or shall I say Unca Joe turned that down in favor of Grinier.

They should have let the Senator from New Mexico give it a shot instead of releasing "The Merchant of Death".

 

[Red05]

Because the release of this marine who wandered across a border didn't require the swap for an arms dealer that was known to be responsible for the death of many. It didn't require the swap of anyone.

Whelan would have been a more equal swap for him. Which we are learning was offered.

We or shall I say Unca Joe turned that down in favor of Grinier.

They should have let the Senator from New Mexico give it a shot instead of releasing "The Merchant of Death".

Your argument of the failures of the negotiations is sound. That said, your refute was that I didn’t read the link which has zero to do with the question of whether Whelan or Griner was the right choice for the trade the Kremlin proposed.

 

[TallTom]

Your argument of the failures of the negotiations is sound. That said, your refute was that I didn’t read the link which has zero to do with the question of whether Whelan or Griner was the right choice for the trade the Kremlin proposed.

No my link was to further show the agenda of Unca Joe.

At the rate he negotiates, he will have offer up the state of Alaska to get someone with more significance than Griner released.

While you seem anxious to point out the difference in crime levels between Griner
and Whelan, you seem to ignore that another American female was released on the same day Griner was. We never saw her face on the news. Nor was she given anything close to the treatment Griner was.

And ZERO mention of Dudley's release being highlighted by the WH.

Who proclaims they will work just as hard on the release of all imprisoned Americans.

 

[Red05]

All that is the power of the media. Who knows how many Dudleys there are. News agencies report what sells, the public outcry grows from it, eliciting response. Nothing new in that.
In the end I still think they brought the right person home. Dealing with the government, no matter who is in the White House, should be measured in years. That's how slow they are. I've dealt with Social Security and Immigration and both border on rediculous as far as timeliness. Lord knows how the government negotiates the criminal trades.