That said, it is an embarrassment to the United States and a testimony to President Joe Biden's incompetence that he just released a major international weapons smuggler —"the Merchant of Death" is the man's nickname — in exchange for Griner's freedom. But Viktor Bout was not just an arms smuggler, he was serving a federal prison sentence for conspiring to kill Americans.
Outside the U.S. and a handful of other Western countries, criminal defendants have almost no rights. That is a very sharp contrast with the country whose national anthem Griner once demanded not be played at WNBA games. First, the idea of paying ransom to Russian President Vladimir Putin is obviously repugnant and counterproductive. Much like Chinese authorities, the Russians will be encouraged by Biden’s weakness to take even more U.S. hostages and hold them on flimsy or false charges in hope of extracting concessions.
Thanks to Biden, he will now be back in business. If you tried to think of a more cartoonishly inappropriate deal than the one Biden just made, you would fail.
JoeBiden Who is dead?
JoeBiden The Biden family specializes in bad deals anyway you want to define it.
JoeBiden Biden is weak, pandering to every noisy fringe group in his party.
JoeBiden
JoeBiden Trump administration was 'not prepared' for or 'not interested in ...
JoeBiden He didn't get his pudding and prunes while negotiating.
JoeBiden Wonder what Ms Griner's viewpoint is of America going forward. Sometimes, it takes a life changing experience to truly appreciate what you have especially in the face of possibly losing it all. Welcome home BrittanyGriner AmericaFirst USA
JoeBiden biden must be charged with treason if this evil POS kills anyone.
JoeBiden JoeBiden is the master of the BadDeal whenever it comes to ForeignPolicy - always has been, why change now?