Serious question: Why?

[Vort]

https://www.foxnews.com/world/brittney-griner-paul-whelan-trade-needs-get-line-cost-merchant-death

 Why on Earth would we trade away a murderous terroristic prisoner for someone who actually did the crime she was charged of and is now facing the consequences of her actions?

[NeuroTypical]

Geopolitics isn't holy.

[mikbone]

Because professional athletes, movie stars, youtube personalities are our new heroes.

She is on the TV constantly.  And the sitting administration no doubt thinks that their approval ratings will worsen due to their perceived weakness.  

/shrug 

[The Folk Prophet]

Biden and his administration are clearly undercover conservatives, working behind the democratic curtain to undermine them and ensure the Republicans take power back. This is painfully obvious, is it not?

[The Folk Prophet]

Just now, The Folk Prophet said:

Biden and his administration are clearly undercover conservatives, working behind the Democratic curtain to undermine them and ensure the Republicans take power back. This is painfully obvious, is it not?

 

[Carborendum]

On 8/4/2022 at 10:38 AM, Vort said:

https://www.foxnews.com/world/brittney-griner-paul-whelan-trade-needs-get-line-cost-merchant-death

 Why on Earth would we trade away a murderous terroristic prisoner for someone who actually did the crime she was charged of and is now facing the consequences of her actions?

But you just don't get it.  The ONLY reason she was detained at all was because she was a black lesbian.  If it were a white cis woman, she would have had a slap on the wrist and let go (which, BTW, did happen just a few years ago).

The difference in treatment can't possibly be attributed to the fact she is an American, and international relations were different back then.  No, wat can't possibly be a factor in how Russia might treat people from a rival nation.  That's just ridiculous.

[NeuroTypical]

When I heard two news stories back to back (some US celebrity in a Russian prison, and US/Russia in prisoner swap talks), I just naturally assumed the most reasonable and likely reason they nabbed this girl is so Russia would have something to trade.   I further reasoned the reason they nabbed this specific girl, is because she’s known in the U.S., and the Russians knew grabbing a celebrity would increase pressure on the administration, from its own people, to give Russia what it wanted.

 I’m not sure there’s another feasible explanation for why this story is on our media, and we’re talking about it.  Is there?

Edited August 7, 2022 by NeuroTypical

[Vort]

15 hours ago, Carborendum said:

But you just don't get it.

This bears repeating.

[LDSGator]

On 8/7/2022 at 10:18 AM, NeuroTypical said:

When I heard two news stories back to back (some US celebrity in a Russian prison, and US/Russia in prisoner swap talks), I just naturally assumed the most reasonable and likely reason they nabbed this girl is so Russia would have something to trade.   I further reasoned the reason they nabbed this specific girl, is because she’s known in the U.S., and the Russians knew grabbing a celebrity would increase pressure on the administration, from its own people, to give Russia what it wanted.

 I’m not sure there’s another feasible explanation for why this story is on our media, and we’re talking about it.  Is there?

I think Russia gravely miscalculated her “celebrity appeal.” Like many other people I had only a vague awareness that the WNBA is still a thing, and I’d never heard of Brittney Griner until her arrest.