Hoagtech wrote:And what about Paul Whelan. He didn't even break the law and was a US Marine. Because he didn't fit the democrat vote grab demographic. They couldn't get a soldier out instead? Oh wait white and male nvm.. (FUCK HIM)...
1) Assuming Biden's own summary of the situation is accurate, Russia is asking a higher price for Whelan's release than Griner's because they've accused him of espionage, as opposed to drug possession; the administration
apparently tried to make him part of the deal but it simply wasn't going to happen. If you think all of that was just made up, feel free to present a counterargument to that end.
2) As Whelan's brother
has noted, the former was abducted during the Trump administration's tenure, but despite the stink he's currently making the then-President not only failed to bring him home but never even publicly mentioned his name once while in office. In fact, if you're willing to trust John Bolton on the matter (which, admittedly, is a considerable ask), he was at the time given the opportunity to trade Whelan's freedom for Bout's but
turned it down (EDIT: ...and when Pompeo was asked to respond, he -
surprise! -
refused comment ).
If you think Bout is as dangerous as you say you do, then you presumably also think that the Trump administration made the right call in refusing the exchange and leaving Whelan in Russian custody; if this is the case, then what do you suggest the Biden administration should have done differently to bring Whelan home, since these days Russia is apparently even less willing to deal than it was back then?
Laughably the media is downplaying the shit out of it. Parroting each other saying "were not doing backflips because of the trade" BUUTT LESBIAN RACIAL PRIDE BLAHBLAH
I'm not exactly an encyclopedia when it comes to the media, but I really can't say I've seen anything remotely like this offhand; pretty much every non-critical reaction to the swap I've encountered has been some variation of "the price was high, perhaps too high, but somebody
was freed." Again, there's certainly an argument to be made that if Bout goes back to his old ways others will be the ones to pay the price for Griner's freedom, but the notion that the media/left/etc. are somehow overjoyed that a black lesbian was freed while a straight white guy is still in jail -
especially after Biden brought Trevor Reed home back in April - is completely and utterly a product of your own imagination.
As for Twitter, as things progress it's probably worth keeping in the back of your mind that Musk is all about complete transparency and freedom of information when it comes to the company's operations...
unless you happen to work under him.