Griner
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Is it appropriate to refer to those dishonorably discharged as vets?
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Pretty damning description and story.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Whelan_(security_director)
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Truth be known the US probably wanted or was negotiating to barter Bout for Snowden, but Putin conveniently granted Snowden Russian citizenship in order to preempt any chance of that deal to succeed. Putin thus turned the tables so it would be an extradition case. In the absence of a bilateral extradition treaty, the Russians would never extradite one of their own to the US.
It then became a choice of take Griner or nothing.
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Russian state television mocks U.S. for Brittney Griner prisoner exchange
Russian state television, which is notorious for propaganda, discussed the exchange, mocking the United States for swapping Griner instead of Whelan.
A program moderator referred to Whelan as a "spy," saying that Whelan is a hero to Americans. However, the moderator specified three things against Whelan regarding the U.S. winning his release.
"His first problem is that he is white," the moderator said, according to a translation obtained by Fox News Digital. "His second problem is he is a man. His third problem: He is a heterosexual.
"This is not something that can be forgiven today. It’s just a catastrophe. Yes, here Griner beats him in every aspect."
The moderator goes on to falsely claim "American voters" were given a choice between Griner and Whelan in exchange for the "Merchant of Death," when in fact it was the Biden administration that made the decision.
The moderator added that it was a victory for Russia that the U.S. chose a celebrity over a former Marine, as it shows what the United States values.
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Russian state television mocks U.S. for Brittney Griner prisoner exchange
Russian state television, which is notorious for propaganda, discussed the exchange, mocking the United States for swapping Griner instead of Whelan.
A program moderator referred to Whelan as a "spy," saying that Whelan is a hero to Americans. However, the moderator specified three things against Whelan regarding the U.S. winning his release.
"His first problem is that he is white," the moderator said, according to a translation obtained by Fox News Digital. "His second problem is he is a man. His third problem: He is a heterosexual.
"This is not something that can be forgiven today. It’s just a catastrophe. Yes, here Griner beats him in every aspect."
The moderator goes on to falsely claim "American voters" were given a choice between Griner and Whelan in exchange for the "Merchant of Death," when in fact it was the Biden administration that made the decision.
The moderator added that it was a victory for Russia that the U.S. chose a celebrity over a former Marine, as it shows what the United States values.
Russian state television mocks U.S. for Brittney Griner prisoner exchange
Russian state television, which is notorious for propaganda, discussed the exchange, mocking the United States for swapping Griner instead of Whelan.
A program moderator referred to Whelan as a "spy," saying that Whelan is a hero to Americans. However, the moderator specified three things against Whelan regarding the U.S. winning his release.
"His first problem is that he is white," the moderator said, according to a translation obtained by Fox News Digital. "His second problem is he is a man. His third problem: He is a heterosexual.
"This is not something that can be forgiven today. It’s just a catastrophe. Yes, here Griner beats him in every aspect."
The moderator goes on to falsely claim "American voters" were given a choice between Griner and Whelan in exchange for the "Merchant of Death," when in fact it was the Biden administration that made the decision.
The moderator added that it was a victory for Russia that the U.S. chose a celebrity over a former Marine, as it shows what the United States values.
I guess you take your victories where you can. The fact that their sad excuse for a military is being humiliated on a daily basis by American supplied weaponry isn't something they want to talk about.
"But hey, we got our murderous thug back!"
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QUOTE
Once known as the "Merchant of Death," Bout has thrown his hat in the ring as a candidate for the regional assembly in Ulyanovsk, an area of southwestern Russia that is home to 1.3 million people and about a 12-hour drive from Moscow. The election is taking place on Sunday."When you're absent for 15 years from country, you need to start somewhere," Bout told the Times. "So for me, going into regional office, it's a better way to understand the problems. I need to meet people. I need to learn how they live."
The career pivot isn't the only challenge facing Bout, who was first arrested by police in Thailand in 2008 before his extradition to the United States. He told the Times he's still learning how to use smartphones and exploring modern technology, like electric buses.
UNQUOTE -
Viktor Bout, the Russian arms dealer who was jailed in the United States and then swapped two years ago for the US basketball star Brittney Griner, has resumed trading weapons, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Citing an unnamed European security source and other anonymous sources familiar with the matter, the newspaper reported on Sunday that Bout, dubbed “the merchant of death” was trying to broker the sale of small arms to Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi armed group.
“When Houthi emissaries went to Moscow in August to negotiate the purchase of $10 million worth of automatic weapons, they encountered a familiar face: the mustachioed Bout,” the Journal said, citing its sources.
The potential arms transfers have yet to be delivered, it reported. The weapons fall well short of the Russian antiship or anti-air missiles that could pose a significant threat to the US military’s efforts to protect international shipping from Houthi attacks, it added.
It was not possible to independently verify the report. The Kremlin and Russia’s Ministry of Defence did not immediately respond to requests for comment from the Reuters news agency.
The WSJ reported that Steve Zissou, a New York lawyer who represented Bout in the US, had declined to discuss whether his client had met the Houthis, and that a Houthi spokesman declined to comment.
