Anonymous wrote:

“The news this morning of Brittney Griner’s release is a welcome development toward our collective efforts to secure the return of all those wrongfully detained in Russia. I can only imagine the pain and heartache she and her family have been going through since her detention almost ten months ago, and I join them in this moment of profound relief as she returns to her life here in the United States.
“To be clear, Ms. Griner should have been released immediately and unconditionally a long time ago. Putin has known that all along. This should be a moment of deep reflection for the United States government to recognize we have a serious problem with hostage-taking of Americans. The Russians and other regimes that take American citizens hostage cannot pretend that there is equivalence between the Brittney Griners of the world and people like Viktor Bout, the so-called ‘Merchant of Death.’ Nothing could be further from the truth, and we cannot ignore that releasing Bout back into the world is a deeply disturbing decision. We must stop inviting dictatorial and rogue regimes to use Americans overseas as bargaining chips, and we must try to do better at encouraging American citizens against traveling to places like Russia where they are primary targets for this type of unlawful detention.
“My heart also goes out to the families of other American citizens in Russian prisons and labor camps, including Paul Whelan. They have my renewed commitment and determination to use the power of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to secure Mr. Whelan’s safe return and to continue fighting for the release of all Russian political prisoners, like Vladimir Kara Murza, and all other unjustly detained Americans.”

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m not overly enthused with the seemingly flippant, masculine energy she exudes in those stone faced pictures we’ve all seen of her, but it’s nice to get an American returned home.

Here you go, PP. Not so “stone faced” here!

The problem with the conservative PPs in this thread is that they see that picture and hate her even more.

I'm shocked that she is standing in front of the American flag, an obvious symbol of racism.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Looks like the Trump administration had the opportunity to make a Bout for Whelan deal, but did not.

https://news.yahoo.com/trump-turned-down-paul-whelan-141350684.html

Because Bout is truly THAT BAD.
This was a bad deal.
We can be happy that Grimes is home and still believe this was a crappy deal. Biden's negotiation skills are just bad.

Anonymous wrote:

“The news this morning of Brittney Griner’s release is a welcome development toward our collective efforts to secure the return of all those wrongfully detained in Russia. I can only imagine the pain and heartache she and her family have been going through since her detention almost ten months ago, and I join them in this moment of profound relief as she returns to her life here in the United States.
“To be clear, Ms. Griner should have been released immediately and unconditionally a long time ago. Putin has known that all along. This should be a moment of deep reflection for the United States government to recognize we have a serious problem with hostage-taking of Americans. The Russians and other regimes that take American citizens hostage cannot pretend that there is equivalence between the Brittney Griners of the world and people like Viktor Bout, the so-called ‘Merchant of Death.’ Nothing could be further from the truth, and we cannot ignore that releasing Bout back into the world is a deeply disturbing decision. We must stop inviting dictatorial and rogue regimes to use Americans overseas as bargaining chips, and we must try to do better at encouraging American citizens against traveling to places like Russia where they are primary targets for this type of unlawful detention.
“My heart also goes out to the families of other American citizens in Russian prisons and labor camps, including Paul Whelan. They have my renewed commitment and determination to use the power of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to secure Mr. Whelan’s safe return and to continue fighting for the release of all Russian political prisoners, like Vladimir Kara Murza, and all other unjustly detained Americans.”

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m not overly enthused with the seemingly flippant, masculine energy she exudes in those stone faced pictures we’ve all seen of her, but it’s nice to get an American returned home.

Here you go, PP. Not so “stone faced” here!

The problem with the conservative PPs in this thread is that they see that picture and hate her even more.

I'm shocked that she is standing in front of the American flag, an obvious symbol of racism.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m not overly enthused with the seemingly flippant, masculine energy she exudes in those stone faced pictures we’ve all seen of her, but it’s nice to get an American returned home.

Here you go, PP. Not so “stone faced” here!

The problem with the conservative PPs in this thread is that they see that picture and hate her even more.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Looks like the Trump administration had the opportunity to make a Bout for Whelan deal, but did not.

https://news.yahoo.com/trump-turned-down-paul-whelan-141350684.html

Because Bout is truly THAT BAD.
This was a bad deal.
We can be happy that Grimes is home and still believe this was a crappy deal. Biden's negotiation skills are just bad.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s the magical time of year when we gather as families to celebrate leaving an American woman to suffer in a Siberian labor camp because she was being used as a political pawn. Peace on Earth. Goodwill to men.

No. She's home.
We are leaving a US Marine to that fate.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Looks like the Trump administration had the opportunity to make a Bout for Whelan deal, but did not.

https://news.yahoo.com/trump-turned-down-paul-whelan-141350684.html

Because Bout is truly THAT BAD.
This was a bad deal.
We can be happy that Grimes is home and still believe this was a crappy deal. Biden's negotiation skills are just bad.

Anonymous wrote:It’s the magical time of year when we gather as families to celebrate leaving an American woman to suffer in a Siberian labor camp because she was being used as a political pawn. Peace on Earth. Goodwill to men.

Anonymous wrote:Looks like the Trump administration had the opportunity to make a Bout for Whelan deal, but did not.

https://news.yahoo.com/trump-turned-down-paul-whelan-141350684.html

Anonymous wrote:Let’s just accept the reality that anything Biden accomplishes will be viewed in a negative light by a cabal of Americans who worship Trump and find more in common with Putin than their fellow Americans. They aren’t interested in honest debate. It’s shrill partisan noisemaking because securing the release of a black, lesbian isn’t something they choose to value while proclaiming their “Christian” values as supposed “patriots” who celebrate the insurrectionists attacking law enforcement with flagpoles on Jan 6. Deplorables 4 ever.