(09-29-2023, 02:47 PM)mikesez Wrote:

(09-29-2023, 01:48 PM)homebiscuit Wrote: Correct. There is so much more Putin wants, but in the case of this exchange, he wanted Bout on the cheap and knew he could leverage Biden’s ideological allegiances to get it - and he did. 

He didn’t have to give up a valuable political hostage who had been imprisoned for much longer than Griner, he only had to surrender a cheap social icon. 

Biden and America - 0

Putin and Mikesez - 1

Again, I'm not on Putin's side.  I'm on the side of "we don't know whom to blame for Whelan still being in prison." Could be Bidens fault, could be Putin's fault.  You're on the side of certainty that it's Biden's fault.  If either of our opinions are a "win" for Putin, it's yours.

Of course we know why Whelan is still rotting in a Russian prison. Viktor Bout was a highly prized negotiating pawn and Biden squandered it for political points. Plain and simple. No one with any sense even argues that. 

It's okay, sometimes we have to take one for the team and I'm sure any Biden supporters reading this (if there are any left) appreciate your efforts.

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