Brittney Griner Swapped Russian Prison for War Criminal
Guilty of Assisting in the Death of Millions
Brittney Griner released from Russian prison in swap for convicted arms dealer
WE DID NOT GET OUT MARINE BACK! INSTEAD WE GOT MORAL FREE POT SMOKER FROM TEXAS FOR A MASS MURDERER!
SHE KNOWS QUITE WELL THE LAWS OF WEED SUCK, SHES FROM TEXAS! DID SHE REALLY THINK AN ANTI-DRUG COUNTY LIKE RUSSIA WOULD BE NICER THAN TEXAS LAW ? NEVER! WHAT ABOUT OUR SOLDIER, NOT A FORTUNATE GUY! TOO BAD FOR THE US SELLING ITS MORALS AND SOUL FOR THE MORALLY CORUPT
Brittney Griner was arrested in February before the start of the Russia and Ukraine war for bringing in vape cartridges containing oils derived from cannabis through a Moscow airport as she was returning to the country to play for a basketball league in the country. About 10 months later, just weeks before the Christmas holiday, Griner is coming home. Griner was freed from a Russian
penal colony on Thursday in a prisoner exchange for convicted Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, a U.S. official confirmed to Fox News. U.S. and Russian officials have expressed optimism in recent weeks about a potential deal for Griner. A top Russian official said last week that a deal was possible before year’s end. President Biden tweeted about Griner’s release. He was seen in pictures with Vice President Kamala Harris and Griner’s wife, Cherelle Griner. “Moments ago I spoke to Brittney Griner,” the tweet read. “She is safe. She is on a plane. She is on her way home.” Biden addressed reporters after the announcement of her release. He didn’t mention Bout. “After months of being unjustly detained in Russia, held under intolerable circumstances, Brittney will soon be back in the arms of her loved ones and she should have been there all along,” Biden said. Secretary of State Antony Blinken released a statement.
“I am grateful to the State Department team and to our colleagues across the government who worked tirelessly to secure her release,” the statement read. “I especially commend Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs Roger Carstens, who is accompanying Brittney back to the United States, as well as his entire team. We also extend deep appreciation to our many partners who helped achieve this outcome, including our Emirati friends, who assisted in the transfer today.
“While we celebrate Brittney’s release, Paul Whelan and his family continue to suffer needlessly. Despite our ceaseless e fforts, the Russian Government has not yet been willing to bring a long overdue end to his wrongful detention. I wholeheartedly wish we could have brought Paul home today on the same plane with Brittney. Nevertheless, we will not relent in our efforts to bring Paul and all other U.S. nationals held hostage or wrongfully detained abroad home to their loved ones where they belong.”
Griner was arrested at Sheremetyevo Airport in Moscow on Feb. 17 after Russian authorities said she had vape cartridges with cannabis oil inside her luggage. On Aug. 4, Griner was given a nine-year sentence after pleading guilty, arguing that she had been prescribed cannabis for her pain and inadvertently packed it. Her sentence was upheld in October, and she was later transferred to a penal colony.
Bout is known as the “Merchant of Death” and the possible swap for him was floated back in May. He was in the middle of a 25-year sentence in federal prison after he was convicted of conspiracy to kill Americans relating to the support of a Colombian terrorist organization.
He was dubbed the “Merchant of Death” because of his notoriety for running a fleet of aging Soviet-era cargo planes to conflict-ridden hotspots in Africa. His dealings inspired the Nicolas Cage film “Lord of War.”
cited https://www.foxnews.com/sports/brittney-griner-released-russian-prison-swap-convicted-arms-dealer
Musk reacts after Biden swaps Russian arms dealer for WNBA star Brittney Griner: ‘Never leave a Marine behind’
In the deal announced Thursday, Biden agreed to release Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout for Griner”Never leave a marine behind. Never,” Musk tweeted, responding to a user who inquired about his opinion.
The initial user asked: “Does it surprise anyone the Biden regime would leave a Marine behind after they abandoned Americans in Afghanistan?” Musk’s criticism joined the chorus of Republican lawmakers and others who voiced concern Biden failed to free Whelan. Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas, took to Twitter demanding an answer from the Biden administration on why he excluded the Iraq war veteran from the deal. “This was likely not a simple ‘choose him or her’ situation. But if it was, you choose the guy that served our country, Paul Whelan. We should get an explanation from this administration immediately,” Crenshaw wrote.
Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Illinois, echoed: “What about retired marine who has been unjustly detained for years, Paul Whelan? Surely an arms dealer is worth two innocent people?”
Elon Musk took to Twitter Friday morning to voice his opinion about the prisoner swap President Biden negotiated with Russia for the release of U.S. basketball star Brittney Griner. On Thursday, Biden announced the U.S. would release Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, who was sentenced 25 years for providing weapons used to kill Americans, in exchange for Griner. The deal notably excluded American Paul Whelan, an Iraqi war veteran who remains imprisoned in Russia since 2018. The Griner deal also excluded Marc Fogel, a Pennsylvania teacher in Russian custody. Musk said Friday the U.S. should “never” leave behind one of its own servicemen.
In a subsequent tweet, Kinzinger congratulated Griner on her release and defended that calling for Whelan’s release was not “unreasonable.” “It is not in any way partisan, or unreasonable, to both congratulate Brittany on her freedom while being critical that the man who has been in captivity for years, was again skipped over. I have been engaged in this for years after receiving this three years ago today,” the Republican lawmaker wrote.
In a statement to Fox News Digital, Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, R-New York, called the prisoner swap “a bad deal.””It’s always great to see an American come home. But I just believe this was a bad deal. At a minimum, we should have gotten our U.S. Marine home as well,” Malliotakis said Thursday.
Rep. Carlos Gimenez, R-Florida, similarly said Whelan should have been included in the deal where the U.S. handed over the “merchant of death.”
“I’m glad that she’s been released,” Gimenez said of Griner. “You know, I wish we could have gotten the Marine out too. It seems like we gave up a pretty big fish. Probably should have had more fish coming back.”Rep. Scott Fitzgerald, R-Wisconsin, plainly said: “Paul Whelan should be home and should have been part of this deal. I don’t think there’s any doubt about that.”
Rep. August Pfluger, R-Texas, said he was “happy” Griner was released but “also would like to see Paul Whelan and others be prioritized.” “It’s a good day for Britney, but we want to see Paul Whelan come home,” Pfluger added.
During Biden’s announcement at the White House Thursday, the president referenced Whelan and said today’s prisoner swap was “not a choice of which American to bring home.” “Sadly, for totally illegitimate reasons, Russia is treating Paul’s case differently than Brittney’s,” the president said. “And while we have not yet succeeded in securing Paul’s release, we are not giving up. We will never give up.”Biden said he would continue to negotiate with Moscow to secure Whelan’s release.