Russia open to negotiations on prisoner swap for Brittany Griner

[Olsonist]

The fortunate thing is, Trump is just too stupid and dithering to have made himself into an autocrat. It's as Bolton said, that was lame coup attempt on Jan. sixth-he knows from experience how to actually do a coup. I would like a coup these days in Russia and Iran, so maybe Biden should reach across the aisle to Bolton.

Yes, Shitstain is a fop. However, Bolton only has the singular quality of having broken with him. Otherwise Bolton is the last Neocon. Bolton wanted anything but an exit from Afghanistan. Biden doesn't need Bolton in order to be a hardliner on Russia.

 

[Sol Rosenberg]

ya all got short changed .

Agreed. I am glad that an American hostage has been freed by her captors, but I am disappointed that the hostage takers would not agree to release Paul Whelan or Marc Fogel. I blame the hostage takers for that.

 

[spankoka]

Yes, Shitstain is a fop. However, Bolton only has the singular quality of having broken with him. Otherwise Bolton is the last Neocon. Bolton wanted anything but an exit from Afghanistan. Biden doesn't need Bolton in order to be a hardliner on Russia.

The neocons would seem to be vindicated by events. How is HRC's big reset button working out right about now?

 

[Olsonist]

The neocons would seem to be vindicated by events. How is HRC's big reset button working out right about now?

I'm really not sure what your definition of Neocon is and which events you're referring to. I general use the operational definition of Middle East meddling. I don't see Biden supporting Ukraine as a Neocon position at all.

HRC's big reset button was in 2009 when she became Secretary of State. W the Stupid had gone from I looked the man (Putin) in the eye. I found him to be very straightforward and trustworthy ... I was able to get a sense of his soul in 2001 to watching Putin invade Georgia in 2008. Stupid really was an idiot. Hillary was basically saying, well that's enough of that and then washed the floor with Putin in Libya.

Neither Hillary nor Biden are Neocons of any stripe. If you want to rehash the 2001 AUMF vote, we can.

 

[spankoka]

As I understand it, one reason Obama beat HRC in the primary was that HRC voted to authorize the war in Iraq as a senator. If it walks like a duck, and talks like a duck, then it's a duck.

 

[d'ranger]

As I understand it, one reason Obama beat HRC in the primary was that HRC voted to authorize the war in Iraq as a senator. If it walks like a duck, and talks like a duck, then it's a duck.

That was a minor reason - bigger ones? She is female and she and Bill were constantly attacked for over 2 decades. That she regretted that vote is public record but the RW isn't interested in anything except negative shit for democrats.

 

[Sol Rosenberg]

Trump would have gotten Whelan home because he was bigly and strongly. He didn’t do it after Whelan was taken on his watch, because Biden was weak and didn’t know how to handle Pooty.

 

[spankoka]

That was a minor reason - bigger ones? She is female and she and Bill were constantly attacked for over 2 decades. That she regretted that vote is public record but the RW isn't interested in anything except negative shit for democrats.

The US has two RW parties. One is conservative(good!), the other is apparently fascist now. Even Sanders is no radical.

 

[d'ranger]

Radical Leftist Conservative Right Wing Party is too long for bumper stickers.

 

[Fakenews]

we now know who Russia wanted for Whelan. As I suspected it’s someone not in our power to give (at least not with a lot of negotiation.

https://www.cnn.com/2022/12/09/politics/russia-paul-whelan-vadim-krasikov-germany/index.html

 

[spankoka]

There is no way Germany is letting that guy go, given that he is guilty of way more than just being a spy. I can believe Whelan is a spy, even though he had the bad discharge. Yeah, I would take a cheque from a Marine. Guy Burgess did a lot of spying, when he wasn't drunk driving or picking up boys. The funny thing is, Whelan had a good job/cover at the time of his arrest, despite the trope that it is a really, really bad, to have a bad discharge in the US.

 

[Mark_K]

The reason I think Griner may be guilty of exactly what she was charged with is who owns the team she has been and was going to play for.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iskander_Makhmudov

Nobody in Russia gets that kind of portfolio without being on Putin's good side, just doesn't happen.

 

[spankoka]

It's obviously kind of odd that ladies basketball in Russia pays much better than the WNBA. Yes, it's a vanity project. I know that ladies corporate league basketball in Japan pays a good wage with pensions and everything else, but not millions per season. There is a cosmetics company in Japan that insists that their players wear the same gaudy sports makeup that they market to figure skaters, synchro swimmers etc. I don't think they would fancy Griner very much.

 

[Fakenews]

Trevor reed checked In earlier…

 

[Sol Rosenberg]

Seems like Russia is demanding a spy in return for Mr. Whelan. I wonder how those bone spurs are feeling these days….

 

[veni vidi vici]

Seems like Russia is demanding a spy in return for Mr. Whelan. I wonder how those bone spurs are feeling these days….

Like he could have gotten them both back for the Merchant of Death

 

[veni vidi vici]

Like he could have gotten them both back for the Merchant of Death

Hell , I could have negotiated that!

 

[Mark_K]

There is no way Germany is letting that guy go, given that he is guilty of way more than just being a spy. I can believe Whelan is a spy, even though he had the bad discharge. Yeah, I would take a cheque from a Marine. Guy Burgess did a lot of spying, when he wasn't drunk driving or picking up boys. The funny thing is, Whelan had a good job/cover at the time of his arrest, despite the trope that it is a really, really bad, to have a bad discharge in the US.

Getting chucked for stealing is not a good cover. Snakes do snaky things and get red-flagged by both the users and the target. Wouldn't be surprised to find out someday the FSB was keeping tabs on him because of that. A guy with a crim record getting that kind of job??

It's unlikely you're going to find a JAG willing to prosecute someone as a ruse. They have legal careers and oaths to uphold and a lot of staff who do as well.

 

[Blue Crab]

A guy with a crim record getting that kind of job??

My very thought.

 

[spankoka]

No, I think you are insightful here to think this Mark. I hope he can get out of the Gulag soon, but something stinks here. If he wrote bad cheques just as part of his cover-that would be very clever.