WNBA star Brittney Griner shared her story for the first time about her harrowing months-long detention in Russia in an exclusive 20/20 special that will air on May 1.
Still, surely there was some higher-value political prisoner they could’ve asked for as a fairer exchange for someone as notorious as the “Merchant of Death.” I mean, sure, it’s nice that we’re helping out random basketball players and other such normal citizens, but unless Griner is an undercover CIA operative or something it doesn’t seem worth the trade.
I think the official US policy is and should be that US lives are more important than maintaining control of political prisoners. It’s unfair to say the Griner wasn’t “worth it,” and it’s especially not okay for the government to make that determination.
If the US government was ever at risk of saying (publicly) that someone “isn’t worth getting out of political prison” they’d lose all credibility in these negotiations for US citizens’ lives
I was unaware of that, but fair enough.
Still, surely there was some higher-value political prisoner they could’ve asked for as a fairer exchange for someone as notorious as the “Merchant of Death.” I mean, sure, it’s nice that we’re helping out random basketball players and other such normal citizens, but unless Griner is an undercover CIA operative or something it doesn’t seem worth the trade.
I think the official US policy is and should be that US lives are more important than maintaining control of political prisoners. It’s unfair to say the Griner wasn’t “worth it,” and it’s especially not okay for the government to make that determination.
If the US government was ever at risk of saying (publicly) that someone “isn’t worth getting out of political prison” they’d lose all credibility in these negotiations for US citizens’ lives
This wasn’t political. She admitted she broke the law. Wtf are you smoking??? Lol
Right, and Russia always applies laws equally and impartially. No politically motivated selective enforcement here, no sir!