BREAKING: US has traded Russian arms dealer, Viktor Bout (Merchant of Death) for Brittney Griner

[wbrocks67]

This has been the worst trade deal in the history of trade deals, maybe ever.

Isn't that the point though? Russia had the leverage here. There wasn't really much we could do except offer something good enough for them to at least let Griner go. It's clear they didn't want to let either of them go, and not much could've persuaded them since it took a pretty giant trade to even let her go. Why people acting as if getting Whelan back so easy are being ridiculous.

[Sir Mohamed]

I never understood why this basketball player is somehow equivalent to an actual arms trafficker. Could they not have exchanged her for some kind of spy?

Possibly Putin was only open to that kind of exchange to humiliate the US. Biden was subsequently forced to either agree or just leave Griner rot in a Russian prison for 9 years. In that scenario, Putin wouldn't have bothered about Bout. Unlike Biden and most Western leaders, he doesn't care about his own people's lives. He's literally sending 20 year olds to Ukraine to die en masse for nothing.

[Devout Centrist]

Solid trade. Griner is a good role player and is explosive on offense. Bout, on the other hand, is a washed up journeyman with next to no hustle on defense. Woj in shambles once again.

[GeneralMacArthur]

Everyone spent the last year demanding that Biden free Brittney Griner and literally demanding he make this exact deal once the media started reporting it as a possibility.

Now that he's actually done it, there's nothing to be gained from continuing to pretend to care about Brittney Griner.  So all the Biden haters have switched overnight to talking about what a lopsided deal it is and how horrible it is that Biden set free the notorious Viktor Bout (a guy you'd never heard of before all this).

Meanwhile all the Do-Something-ers will do what they always do -- completely memory-hole this entire incident now that Biden has actually achieved success, and simply move on to the next "crisis" that offers proof of Biden's ineptitude.

[emailking]

I don't care what the other guy did. It's a deal.

Why not?

I don't know.

[FT-02 Senator A.F.E. 🇵🇸🤝🇺🇸🤝🇺🇦]

⬆️

smartest conversation on atlas

[Donerail]

Solid trade. Griner is a good role player and is explosive on offense. Bout, on the other hand, is a washed up journeyman with next to no hustle on defense. Woj in shambles once again.

Extremely talented shooter tho

[ηєω ƒяσηтιєя]

Of course, this wasn't a fair trade. This was NEVER going to be a fair trade. Russia had ALL of the leverage. The US had none. Furthermore, it's Russia we're talking about here - a hostile country to the United States.

Putin said that it was either get Griner back or get nothing back. Russia didn't want give Paul Whelan back (as apart of this deal) and there's nothing that Biden could do about that.

I'm glad that Brittney Griner is back home. She better never step foot in Russia ever again.

[Devout Centrist]

Good Griner is out here.

That said, this is far from a fair trade. An arms dealer responsible for a high number of deaths versus a basketball player that was in possession of a small of marijuana. The US govt was in a weaker position here, though, because we really wanted Griner back. Putin wouldn't have bothered to let Bout sit in prison for another 15 years.

It's a shame that the Biden administration cares more about degenerate drug addicts than law abiding citizens of this nation. Your president should face consequences for this.

Marihuana is not a drug. It is “ambrosia” (food of the gods in Greek)

[Holy Unifying Centrist]

Everyone spent the last year demanding that Biden free Brittney Griner and literally demanding he make this exact deal once the media started reporting it as a possibility.

Now that he's actually done it, there's nothing to be gained from continuing to pretend to care about Brittney Griner.  So all the Biden haters have switched overnight to talking about what a lopsided deal it is and how horrible it is that Biden set free the notorious Viktor Bout (a guy you'd never heard of before all this).

Meanwhile all the Do-Something-ers will do what they always do -- completely memory-hole this entire incident now that Biden has actually achieved success, and simply move on to the next "crisis" that offers proof of Biden's ineptitude.

What? I never demanded for a second that Biden make this trade. This is the most r****** trade I’ve ever seen in my life.

[lfromnj]

Russia only has leverage because we gave them it over a convicted domestic abuser who ignored a clear travel warning to make an easy million.

[SteveRogers]

This is possibly the worst prisoner exchange in history, no wonder Biden waited until after the midterms (and GA runoff) to announce it. So I guess it's now open season on American citizens in even midly hostile territory abroad? Since the precedent has been set that a D-list celebrity can be swapped with a powerful/dangerous arms dealer.

Explain.

International arms trafficker and supplier of African/ME/South American warlords with arsenals worth several billion dollars = basketball player? a human being and American citizen.

FTFY

[Holy Unifying Centrist]

This is possibly the worst prisoner exchange in history, no wonder Biden waited until after the midterms (and GA runoff) to announce it. So I guess it's now open season on American citizens in even midly hostile territory abroad? Since the precedent has been set that a D-list celebrity can be swapped with a powerful/dangerous arms dealer.

Explain.

International arms trafficker and supplier of African/ME/South American warlords with arsenals worth several billion dollars = basketball player? a human being and American citizen.

FTFY

Maybe she shouldn’t have brought pot to Russia? Or hell, gone to Russia in the first place. No American citizens safety can be guaranteed in Russia when Biden has shown they can be used as bargaining chips.

[lfromnj]

Everyone spent the last year demanding that Biden free Brittney Griner and literally demanding he make this exact deal once the media started reporting it as a possibility.

Now that he's actually done it, there's nothing to be gained from continuing to pretend to care about Brittney Griner.  So all the Biden haters have switched overnight to talking about what a lopsided deal it is and how horrible it is that Biden set free the notorious Viktor Bout (a guy you'd never heard of before all this).

Meanwhile all the Do-Something-ers will do what they always do -- completely memory-hole this entire incident now that Biden has actually achieved success, and simply move on to the next "crisis" that offers proof of Biden's ineptitude.

What? I never demanded for a second that Biden make this trade. This is the most r****** trade I’ve ever seen in my life.

Yeah I dont remember a single right winger calling for free Griner.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

Everyone spent the last year demanding that Biden free Brittney Griner and literally demanding he make this exact deal once the media started reporting it as a possibility.

Now that he's actually done it, there's nothing to be gained from continuing to pretend to care about Brittney Griner.  So all the Biden haters have switched overnight to talking about what a lopsided deal it is and how horrible it is that Biden set free the notorious Viktor Bout (a guy you'd never heard of before all this).

Meanwhile all the Do-Something-ers will do what they always do -- completely memory-hole this entire incident now that Biden has actually achieved success, and simply move on to the next "crisis" that offers proof of Biden's ineptitude.

What? I never demanded for a second that Biden make this trade. This is the most r****** trade I’ve ever seen in my life.

You didn't, but a ton of people elsewhere did. Probably not a lot of right-wingers though.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

Everyone spent the last year demanding that Biden free Brittney Griner and literally demanding he make this exact deal once the media started reporting it as a possibility.

Now that he's actually done it, there's nothing to be gained from continuing to pretend to care about Brittney Griner.  So all the Biden haters have switched overnight to talking about what a lopsided deal it is and how horrible it is that Biden set free the notorious Viktor Bout (a guy you'd never heard of before all this).

Meanwhile all the Do-Something-ers will do what they always do -- completely memory-hole this entire incident now that Biden has actually achieved success, and simply move on to the next "crisis" that offers proof of Biden's ineptitude.

What? I never demanded for a second that Biden make this trade. This is the most r******* trade I’ve ever seen in my life.

Same.  Man the ability of Joke Sullivan and Blinken to negotiate is pathetic.

[emailking]

This is possibly the worst prisoner exchange in history, no wonder Biden waited until after the midterms (and GA runoff) to announce it. So I guess it's now open season on American citizens in even midly hostile territory abroad? Since the precedent has been set that a D-list celebrity can be swapped with a powerful/dangerous arms dealer.

Explain.

International arms trafficker and supplier of African/ME/South American warlords with arsenals worth several billion dollars = basketball player? a human being and American citizen.

FTFY

Maybe she shouldn’t have brought pot to Russia? Or hell, gone to Russia in the first place. No American citizens safety can be guaranteed in Russia when Biden has shown they can be used as bargaining chips.

He hadn't shown that in February.

[Mr. Reactionary]

Wonder if she starts standing for the National Anthem now.

[TiltsAreUnderrated]

"This man would only accept a diamond in exchange for fool's gold. It was always going to be an unfair trade."

I would simply not trade the diamond. Russia, quite understandably, hopes to buy many more.

[ηєω ƒяσηтιєя]

"This man would only accept a diamond in exchange for fool's gold. It was always going to be an unfair trade."

I would simply not trade the diamond. Russia, quite understandably, hopes to buy many more.

This was a damned if you do, damned if you don't situation for Biden.

If he lets Brittney Griner rot away in Russia, then people would say "If she was a straight White woman, Biden would do everything to get her out. Biden doesn't care about Black women or the LGBT community"

He gets Griner out and he gets criticized for making the best out of a terrible situation.

[Horus]

Why does she get preferential treatment? There are many other prisoners who have been serving far longer. Is it the celebrity factor?

Disgusting move by Biden.

[Horus]

Good Griner is out here.

That said, this is far from a fair trade. An arms dealer responsible for a high number of deaths versus a basketball player that was in possession of a small of marijuana. The US govt was in a weaker position here, though, because we really wanted Griner back. Putin wouldn't have bothered to let Bout sit in prison for another 15 years.

It's a shame that the Biden administration cares more about degenerate drug addicts than law abiding citizens of this nation. Your president should face consequences for this.

It was just weed dude, not heroin... But this makes Biden look weak. Very unfair trade. They should've both been left where they were. Bout is extremely dangerous.

[SteveRogers]

This is possibly the worst prisoner exchange in history, no wonder Biden waited until after the midterms (and GA runoff) to announce it. So I guess it's now open season on American citizens in even midly hostile territory abroad? Since the precedent has been set that a D-list celebrity can be swapped with a powerful/dangerous arms dealer.

Explain.

International arms trafficker and supplier of African/ME/South American warlords with arsenals worth several billion dollars = basketball player? a human being and American citizen.

FTFY

Maybe she shouldn’t have brought pot to Russia? Or hell, gone to Russia in the first place. No American citizens safety can be guaranteed in Russia when Biden has shown they can be used as bargaining chips.

She definitely shouldn’t have brought pot to Russia. But the United States also should not leave American citizens to rot in foreign jail cells to be used as a dictator’s political puppets.

[Person Man]

The incoming MAGA House majority should investigate this much more than the Hunter Biden stuff.

If it keeps them busy.

[Suburbia]

WFAN host and former NFL quarterback Boomer Esiason is PISSED..

https://www.mediaite.com/sports/boomer-esiason-blasts-u-s-trading-arms-dealer-for-brittney-griner-we-look-so-pathetic/