Britney Griner released 12-08-2022

DJ1BigTymer said
Seems to me the time to be outrage over Paul Whelan was 3 years ago.

The Russians claim that Whelan is a spy and that is why they feel the need to hold out for someone that matches his value. If only we had someone of value in our country that would match that trade.

Well allow me to reintroduce you to Maria Butina, she was a Russian Operative that was captured and convicted in our country. It is thought by many that Whelan's arrest was retaliation for hers. After working out a sweet deal with the DOJ, she was released and deported back to Mother Russia in Oct 2019 without any consideration to Paul Whelan.

It's my opinion that russia wouldn't have taken that deal either. putin doesn't care about people. He got what he could for BG, but Whelan is a different matter. He will want something substantial for Whelan and a warm body ain't it. He will want the US to make a statement, like getting Ukraine to stop fighting long enough that he can reconstitute his army, or maybe pressuring the EU to up the per barrel ante to $100 vs $60. Any one person we have isn't going to be enough.