Brittney Griner Coming Home!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am glad she is coming home. I hope she is able to get some therapy. I can't imagine what she has been though. I'm also thinking of Whelan. Hope he is free soon.

It’s unclear what makes sense to do with Whalen. It sure sounds like he’s actually guilty of spying. If he came up with the scheme himself, then there’s a limit to what we should do. But, it doesn’t seem like he was in a great position to do this without help. Maybe he had a CIA handler, or maybe the FSB entrapped him so he could be used in a prisoner swap. Regardless, its a very different situation than Griner’s.

I'm that original PP. I wasn't comparing the two. Whelan's family is in the area I live in and his case has come up in the community. I'm not aware of whether he was spying or not, but rather that I wouldn't want any human being to go through the Russian prison system. Not every one who mentions the two is trying to speak negatively of Griner's release.

PP, I understood that from your response. I quoted your post, but I was mostly just making a general comment. It isn’t entirely clear to me that we should be seeking his release if he actually was spying. And it looks like he was. But if he was tricked, either by the CIA or FSB, then we should. And he probably was tricked.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am glad she is coming home. I hope she is able to get some therapy. I can't imagine what she has been though. I'm also thinking of Whelan. Hope he is free soon.

It’s unclear what makes sense to do with Whalen. It sure sounds like he’s actually guilty of spying. If he came up with the scheme himself, then there’s a limit to what we should do. But, it doesn’t seem like he was in a great position to do this without help. Maybe he had a CIA handler, or maybe the FSB entrapped him so he could be used in a prisoner swap. Regardless, its a very different situation than Griner’s.

Brittany was actually guilt of having CBD...not a big deal in this country but a huge no-no in Rusdia. She was playing with fire being over there in the first place and then in possession of paraphernalia, resin, oil, and such. And Russians are racist to begin with so she really had the blocks stacked up against her.

You’re right, but a lot of countries, if not all, have ridiculous laws that could be used to target individuals, knowing that many people will commit minor offenses. We can’t really let that go unchallenged without making it incredibly dangerous for US citizens to travel internationally.

which is why I would never go to Russia. why would anyone with any smarts?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am glad she is coming home. I hope she is able to get some therapy. I can't imagine what she has been though. I'm also thinking of Whelan. Hope he is free soon.

It’s unclear what makes sense to do with Whalen. It sure sounds like he’s actually guilty of spying. If he came up with the scheme himself, then there’s a limit to what we should do. But, it doesn’t seem like he was in a great position to do this without help. Maybe he had a CIA handler, or maybe the FSB entrapped him so he could be used in a prisoner swap. Regardless, its a very different situation than Griner’s.

How about holding off trading the actually guilty arms dealer?

This is pretty much how prisoner swaps always go for the US. We're in a weaker negotiating position because we're willing to do more to help our citizens abroad. I don't see hardball negotiating actually working out for us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am glad she is coming home. I hope she is able to get some therapy. I can't imagine what she has been though. I'm also thinking of Whelan. Hope he is free soon.

It’s unclear what makes sense to do with Whalen. It sure sounds like he’s actually guilty of spying. If he came up with the scheme himself, then there’s a limit to what we should do. But, it doesn’t seem like he was in a great position to do this without help. Maybe he had a CIA handler, or maybe the FSB entrapped him so he could be used in a prisoner swap. Regardless, its a very different situation than Griner’s.

Brittany was actually guilt of having CBD...not a big deal in this country but a huge no-no in Rusdia. She was playing with fire being over there in the first place and then in possession of paraphernalia, resin, oil, and such. And Russians are racist to begin with so she really had the blocks stacked up against her.

You’re right, but a lot of countries, if not all, have ridiculous laws that could be used to target individuals, knowing that many people will commit minor offenses. We can’t really let that go unchallenged without making it incredibly dangerous for US citizens to travel internationally.

which is why I would never go to Russia. why would anyone with any smarts?

It’s not just Russia.

Admittedly, I wouldn’t go to most of those countries either, except perhaps China. But it would be problematic and damaging to US interests if no one was willing to go to those countries.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am glad she is coming home. I hope she is able to get some therapy. I can't imagine what she has been though. I'm also thinking of Whelan. Hope he is free soon.

It’s unclear what makes sense to do with Whalen. It sure sounds like he’s actually guilty of spying. If he came up with the scheme himself, then there’s a limit to what we should do. But, it doesn’t seem like he was in a great position to do this without help. Maybe he had a CIA handler, or maybe the FSB entrapped him so he could be used in a prisoner swap. Regardless, its a very different situation than Griner’s.

How about holding off trading the actually guilty arms dealer?

This is pretty much how prisoner swaps always go for the US. We're in a weaker negotiating position because we're willing to do more to help our citizens abroad. I don't see hardball negotiating actually working out for us.

This. The countries who do this in the first place are not concerned with acting in a humane way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am glad she is coming home. I hope she is able to get some therapy. I can't imagine what she has been though. I'm also thinking of Whelan. Hope he is free soon.

It’s unclear what makes sense to do with Whalen. It sure sounds like he’s actually guilty of spying. If he came up with the scheme himself, then there’s a limit to what we should do. But, it doesn’t seem like he was in a great position to do this without help. Maybe he had a CIA handler, or maybe the FSB entrapped him so he could be used in a prisoner swap. Regardless, its a very different situation than Griner’s.

How about holding off trading the actually guilty arms dealer?

This is pretty much how prisoner swaps always go for the US. We're in a weaker negotiating position because we're willing to do more to help our citizens abroad. I don't see hardball negotiating actually working out for us.

This. The countries who do this in the first place are not concerned with acting in a humane way.

Yep. My best guess is Whelan was set up by the FSB for the purposes of a swap. Even if US counterintelligence could do that to Russian citizens, I strongly suspect Russia would let most of their people rot unless they had a close connection to Putin. And those people aren't going to be coming to the US. At least, not without a lot of protection around them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am glad she is coming home. I hope she is able to get some therapy. I can't imagine what she has been though. I'm also thinking of Whelan. Hope he is free soon.

It’s unclear what makes sense to do with Whalen. It sure sounds like he’s actually guilty of spying. If he came up with the scheme himself, then there’s a limit to what we should do. But, it doesn’t seem like he was in a great position to do this without help. Maybe he had a CIA handler, or maybe the FSB entrapped him so he could be used in a prisoner swap. Regardless, its a very different situation than Griner’s.

How about holding off trading the actually guilty arms dealer?

This is pretty much how prisoner swaps always go for the US. We're in a weaker negotiating position because we're willing to do more to help our citizens abroad. I don't see hardball negotiating actually working out for us.

Actually ruling with compassion makes these things hard. Putin doesn't have that problem.

[Anonymous]

“Ruling” is oh, so apt

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am glad she is coming home. I hope she is able to get some therapy. I can't imagine what she has been though. I'm also thinking of Whelan. Hope he is free soon.

It’s unclear what makes sense to do with Whalen. It sure sounds like he’s actually guilty of spying. If he came up with the scheme himself, then there’s a limit to what we should do. But, it doesn’t seem like he was in a great position to do this without help. Maybe he had a CIA handler, or maybe the FSB entrapped him so he could be used in a prisoner swap. Regardless, its a very different situation than Griner’s.

How about holding off trading the actually guilty arms dealer?

This is pretty much how prisoner swaps always go for the US. We're in a weaker negotiating position because we're willing to do more to help our citizens abroad. I don't see hardball negotiating actually working out for us.

This. The countries who do this in the first place are not concerned with acting in a humane way.

Exactly, not a level playing field. I commend Biden for getting this done. Agree with PPs stating the Whelan situation is far trickier. It is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Paul Whalen staying in jail.

This is disgraceful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am glad she is coming home. I hope she is able to get some therapy. I can't imagine what she has been though. I'm also thinking of Whelan. Hope he is free soon.

It’s unclear what makes sense to do with Whalen. It sure sounds like he’s actually guilty of spying. If he came up with the scheme himself, then there’s a limit to what we should do. But, it doesn’t seem like he was in a great position to do this without help. Maybe he had a CIA handler, or maybe the FSB entrapped him so he could be used in a prisoner swap. Regardless, its a very different situation than Griner’s.

Uh, I don't think freelance spying is really a thing

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It will be entertaining watching the white wing — I mean right wing media — lost its collective shit over this and melt down today.

Comments like this are divisive and do not help anything or anyone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yet another piece of red meat for congress. We traded an arms dealer for a druggie instead of someone who was serving the country

Sounds like a white wing reaction

[Anonymous]

So glad she's coming home, and once again I feel so very appreciative for being able to live in our wonderful country!!

[Anonymous]

I'm positive Griner's family is relieved and for them, I'm so happy and thankful.