Brittney Griner has been traded by the Russians for the Merchant of Death.
Brittney Griner
Brittney Griner, an American WNBA player, was arrested in Russia after being found with hash oil, a product of concentrating the THC and other chemicals in cannabis. Griner found herself in a pickle after she attempted to enter Russia, which has stringent drug laws. The former deputy assistant secretary of defense, Evelyn Farkas, stated, “We don’t know whether she brought these hash vaping items into Russia or not. The Russians are notorious for planting drugs and other things on Americans.”
Griner did, however, plead guilty to the charges against her, stating, “I would like to plead guilty on the charges… but I had no intention on breaking any Russian law.” This isn’t her first time going to Russia. She had spent several WNBA off-seasons playing for UMMC Yekaterinburg, a Russian basketball club team.
It stands to reason that someone who has been to a country numerous times would be more aware of their local laws.
Griner’s pre-arrest activities include protesting the national anthem at the basketball games. Griner stated, “I personally don’t think it belongs in sports. … Black people didn’t have rights at that point. It’s hard disrespecting a song that didn’t even represent all Americans when it was first made.”
This is ultimately a different argument than the usual leftist dribble about how they protest the national anthem now because of what America is today. To liberal standards, that would still be the racist nation that Griner is referencing. Maybe Griner doesn’t mind the national anthem now?
Paul Whelan
In contrast, another prisoner in Russia is a former marine, Paul Whelan. Whelan was arrested in 2018 on espionage charges. The former marine was attending the wedding of a former marine at Hotel Metropol Moscow when he was arrested for suspicion of espionage. Later, being sentenced to 16 years in prison.
In Whelan’s earlier life, he was born in Canada and held United States, Irish, and Canadian citizenship. Whelan enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve in 1994. He became an IT manager for the Kelly Services staffing company from 2001 to 2003 and then from 2008 to 2010. From 2010 to 2016, Whelan was Kelly Service’s senior global security and operations manager.
He took military leave from his position at Kelly Services from 2003 to 2008 to serve in Iraq. Becoming a staff sergeant with Marine Air Control Group 38 as an administrative clerk and administrative chief, he was part of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
In January 2008, Whelan was under court-martial for multiple counts “related to larceny”, he was sentenced to 60 days restriction, reduced to E-4, and a bad conduct discharge. Other charges against him include; attempted robbery, three specifications of dereliction of duty, making a false official statement, wrongfully using another’s social security number, and then specifications of making checks without sufficient funds.
When he was arrested, he was the director of global security and investigations for BorgWarner, an international automotive parts manufacturer based out of Michigan. While working with Kelly Services and his position during his arrest gave him many contacts with the U.S. Intelligence community, federal agents, and foreign embassies.
Russian news agency Rosbalt states that Whelan was arrested in his hotel room at Metropol after a long evening with a Russian citizen that handed him a USB Drive containing “a list of all the employees at a classified security agency.” The Latvian-based Meduza reported that the wedding attendees were surprised that Whelan chose to spend the day alone.
Former CIA officers had stated they would not recruit an officer with Whelan’s military record or leave an officer exposed without a diplomatic passport. It has been assumed that Whelan’s arrest was a Russian response due to an arrest the United States made on an unregistered foreign agent, Maria Butina on December 20, 2018.
Later, Whelan’s attorney stated that the USB drive’s contents were unknown to Whelan and contained things of personal value, like photos and items of Whelan’s last visit to Russia.
During his conviction in June 2020, Whelan stated, “We have proven my innocence… we have proven fabrication. This is slimy, greasy corrupt Russian politics, nothing more, nothing less.”
Viktor Bout
Former Russian arms dealer, Viktor Bout, was arrested on March 6, 2008, in Thailand on terrorism charges by the Royal Thai Police in a U.S. sting operation. After extradition, Bout was convicted by a jury at the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York of conspiracy to kill US citizens and officials, deliver anti-aircraft missiles, and provide aid to a terrorist organization and was sentenced to a minimum of 25 years.
Bout was a former soviet military translator after he graduated from the Russian Military Institute of Foreign Languages. He was able to master four languages. Portuguese, English, French, Arabic, and Farsi. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, he started an air freight business.
With this air freight business, he built the largest empire of illegal weapons dealing worldwide and could drop weapons anywhere. In the late 1980s, Bout sold weapons to Western Africa during their civil war.
The Optics
The White House was quick to declare that “it was Griner or no one.” which was stated by the Washington Press secretary.
Even though the Kremlin made it known that it was Griner or Whelan and not both for the price of one. And in true democrat fashion, they choose the individual that will give them the most points come the next election cycle. Granted, I am apathetic to the whole idea of Whelan in general. The vast majority of the right is shouting his name from the rooftops.
If the argument for getting Whelan back instead of Griner is solely based on Whelan’s military service, then I truly believe that the quality of service needs to be looked at. Whelan was dishonorably discharged as stated above. The charges of which are quite extensive and are not necessarily indicative of someone who selflessly served their country. The social security scandal, which indicates he was utilizing his position for criminal activities given the easy access to the numbers.
Given someone who has had multiple positions that give him many contacts with high ranking personnel in the CIA and other federal agencies, why the hell would he go back to Russia so often? The CIA adamantly denies his employment as a spy. It makes entire sense why they would. As spotty as the CIA’s record is, I don’t think they are well known for hiring criminals.
Do I think either of these people are necessarily worth the ‘Merchant of Death’? No. I don’t think they are. The United States’ position in the world stage is up in the nose bleeds rather than actually center stage exhibiting its don’t-give-a-damn-fuck-around-and-find-out attitude. America has demonstrated its weakness not only with the countless international dealing since the Biden presidency, but especially this prisoner trade. So much so that Russian media is mocking the United States over the decision.
America needs to take a very close look inwards and realize what this is doing to its enemies. It’s emboldening them. It is making them no longer keep in mind that the USA is watching over the world and isn’t going to take any of their bull crap. Except now. Now it is open season and the Olympics for humiliating the United States has been open for some time.
