Russia open to negotiations on prisoner swap for Brittany Griner

[billy backstay]

That’s not what they said, but you keep doing you.

What did they say? Was he an evil arms merchant like the guy we gave back?

 

[badlatitude]

So, what about the poor bastard who's been cooling his heels there for years?

It's Russia's prison, and we have nothing to say about it.

 

[Sol Rosenberg]

What did they say? Was he an evil arms merchant like the guy we gave back?

I quoted their statement a few posts earlier.

 

[badlatitude]

Sure we did we could have walked away and said no deal.

That's stupid; you get people out that you can get out. This is Russia's game, not ours.

 

[Sol Rosenberg]

Trade Trump for Whelan?

 

[billy backstay]

I quoted their statement a few posts earlier.

I saw that: "The hostage takers didn’t want to release him."
No other explanation? Is he a spy?

 

[Sol Rosenberg]

“NEW from the Whelan family: "There is no greater success than for a wrongful detainee to be freed & for them to go home. The Biden Admin made the right decision to bring Ms. Griner home, & to make the deal that was possible, rather than waiting for one that wasn't going to..””

 

[Sol Rosenberg]

His family just doesn’t know as much about this than the Angertainment industry does.

What should the Biden Administration have done, instead of making the deal with the hostage takers?

 

[MR.CLEAN]

“NEW from the Whelan family

must be RINOs

 

[The Joker]

“NEW from the Whelan family: "There is no greater success than for a wrongful detainee to be freed & for them to go home. The Biden Admin made the right decision to bring Ms. Griner home, & to make the deal that was possible, rather than waiting for one that wasn't going to..””

We heard you the first time. Doesn’t change my opinion that trading an Arms dealer known as the merchant of death for the smuggling basketball star without including the Innocent Marine was a Bad deal. The key word being DEAL

 

[Sol Rosenberg]

We heard you the first time. Doesn’t change my opinion that trading an Arms dealer known as the merchant of death for the smuggling basketball star without including the Innocent Marine was a Bad deal. The key word being DEAL

Apparently some didn’t hear me, and asked about it, hence the repeat.

What should Biden have done?

 

[The Joker]

“NEW from the Whelan family: "There is no greater success than for a wrongful detainee to be freed & for them to go home. The Biden Admin made the right decision to bring Ms. Griner home, & to make the deal that was possible, rather than waiting for one that wasn't going to..””

The actual Paul Whelan said something quite different

WashingtonCNN —
Detained American Paul Whelan told CNN he is “disappointed” the Biden administration has not done more to secure his release, meaning he’s been left behind in Russia after fellow detained American Brittney Griner was freed on Thursday.

“I am greatly disappointed that more has not been done to secure my release, especially as the four year anniversary of my arrest is coming up. I was arrested for a crime that never occurred,” he said in an exclusive phone call from the penal colony where is being held in a remote part of Russia. “I don’t understand why I’m still sitting here.”

Whelan said he was happy that Griner was released but told CNN he “was led to believe that things were moving in the right direction, and that the governments were negotiating and that something would happen fairly soon.”

When asked if he was surprised not to have been included in the swap for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, he told CNN he was.

 

[Bus Driver]

The actual Paul Whelan said something quite different

WashingtonCNN —
Detained American Paul Whelan told CNN he is “disappointed” the Biden administration has not done more to secure his release, meaning he’s been left behind in Russia after fellow detained American Brittney Griner was freed on Thursday.

“I am greatly disappointed that more has not been done to secure my release, especially as the four year anniversary of my arrest is coming up. I was arrested for a crime that never occurred,” he said in an exclusive phone call from the penal colony where is being held in a remote part of Russia. “I don’t understand why I’m still sitting here.”

Whelan said he was happy that Griner was released but told CNN he “was led to believe that things were moving in the right direction, and that the governments were negotiating and that something would happen fairly soon.”

When asked if he was surprised not to have been included in the swap for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, he told CNN he was.

He is understandably disappointed. That does not mean Russia was going to negotiate.

 

[Clove Hitch]

He is understandably disappointed. That does not mean Russia was going to negotiate.

Joker has inside information and might as well have been sitting at the table of these negotiations. He knows all about it

 

[Bus Driver]

Joker has inside information and might as well have been sitting at the table of these negotiations. He knows all about it

President Biden is so weak, and isn't a worthy foe for Putin.

Why didn't that manliest of alpha males affectionately known as the defeated ex-President, who claimed to be the only guy who could stand up to Putin, get Whelan released?

 

[badlatitude]

President Biden is so weak, and isn't a worthy foe for Putin.

Why didn't that manliest of alpha males affectionately known as the defeated ex-President, who claimed to be the only guy who could stand up to Putin, get Whelan released?

I want to know that, too. Trump had two years to get something done.

 

[Sol Rosenberg]

The actual Paul Whelan said something quite different

WashingtonCNN —
Detained American Paul Whelan told CNN he is “disappointed” the Biden administration has not done more to secure his release, meaning he’s been left behind in Russia after fellow detained American Brittney Griner was freed on Thursday.

“I am greatly disappointed that more has not been done to secure my release, especially as the four year anniversary of my arrest is coming up. I was arrested for a crime that never occurred,” he said in an exclusive phone call from the penal colony where is being held in a remote part of Russia. “I don’t understand why I’m still sitting here.”

Whelan said he was happy that Griner was released but told CNN he “was led to believe that things were moving in the right direction, and that the governments were negotiating and that something would happen fairly soon.”

When asked if he was surprised not to have been included in the swap for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, he told CNN he was.

What course of action would you have preferred the Biden Administration to take?

 

[Bus Driver]

I want to know that, too. Trump had two years to get something done.

There will be no reply, other than to blame President Biden.

We might even be treated to a rousing chorus of "Why are you looking to the past?"

 

[The Joker]

Joker has inside information and might as well have been sitting at the table of these negotiations. He knows all about it

Just looking at the facts as presented. It was posted that his brother was on board with this deal. I’m pointing out that the actual hostage said he was misled.

I’m glad she is coming home.
We will see how this plays out if the Biden administration continues to work for his release, with a full court press as they did for Britney that’s good.

 

[badlatitude]

There will be no reply, other than to blame President Biden.

We might even be treated to a rousing chorus of "Why are you looking to the past?"

I expect all those and more. They are more worried about Paul Whelan now, who is charged as a spy who was caught with a flash drive with FSB secrets. Whelan denies that, of course, but he has to have a better excuse than a friend 'put it there.' He also has four passports, which sounds weird as hell. Russians aren't falling for it, either.