# Brittney Griner released in prisoner swap **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [December 8, 2022, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brittney-griner-released-in-prisoner-swap/976202 "2022-12-08T13:19:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2022, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brittney-griner-released-in-prisoner-swap/976202/141 "2022-12-10T23:50:53Z")
> [@Ivan\_Denisovich](#): > > We should assume that Paul Whelan was a spy. OK, Ivan. Welcome to our community. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2022, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brittney-griner-released-in-prisoner-swap/976202/142 "2022-12-10T23:57:50Z")
Okay, obviously this sounds far fetched, and I hate the whole “conspiracy theory” bullshit, but is it possible there’s more going on behind the scenes, and _we’ve_ made some kind of deal with Bout, or something? Or is that just some crazy-ass crap I thought up while I was half asleep watching the news? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2022, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brittney-griner-released-in-prisoner-swap/976202/143 "2022-12-10T23:59:23Z")
> [@Ivan\_Denisovich](#): > > Putin cannot help himself and does break the law, but he respects it and he has said he will not arrest innocent people just for the purpose of exchange. I am unfamiliar with any obvious examples in which he has done so. Well, I know of one example just off the top of my head. I mean, yeah, I’m sure he’s said that. But he’s said lots of things. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2022, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brittney-griner-released-in-prisoner-swap/976202/144 "2022-12-11T00:18:32Z")
The idea that Putin would fabricate charges against an American in order to imprison a political pawn is quite plausible to me. So as long as Putin says Whelan is a spy, and the US says he’s not, I’m going with he’s not. ---
**Author:** ![Dissonance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/85f322/32.png) [@Dissonance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dissonance)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2022, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brittney-griner-released-in-prisoner-swap/976202/145 "2022-12-11T01:48:34Z")
> [@Ivan\_Denisovich](#): > > Putin cannot help himself and does break the law, but he respects it Well as long as it’s not his fault and he still has respect for the laws the breaks it’s okay then. > [@Ivan\_Denisovich](#): > > and he has said he will not arrest innocent people just for the purpose of exchange. Putin has said a lot of things. He said he wouldn’t invade Ukraine. He said he wasn’t going to call for mobilization. He said he wasn’t going to declare martial law. Seeing a pattern here? ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2022, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brittney-griner-released-in-prisoner-swap/976202/146 "2022-12-11T07:14:02Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > and the US says he’s not Of course even if he was a spy, the US would say he wasn’t. That’s not a dig at the US, it’s just common sense when dealing with espionage. Still there doesn’t seem to be a lot of evidence that he was a spy and his background doesn’t seem like the sort of person who would be hired by a US intelligence service, so I’m leaning toward no. > [@Guinastasia](#): > > Or is that just some crazy-ass crap I thought up while I was half asleep watching the news? I don’t think you need a conspiracy theory to figure this out. From Biden’s point of view Bout had already served nearly half of his sentence which the judge who sentenced him felt was overly harsh (but was forced to give due to minimum sentencing guidelines) and that doesn’t include three years spent in a Thai prison before he was extradited. So with good behavior he might have been released in a couple of years anyway. Meanwhile Biden gets a PR boost. Meanwhile from the Russian PR point of view, Putin shows his mercy by allowing this deviant druggie to return home with her tail between her legs . She was punished enough and has learned her lesson, and American’s will think twice before the violate their laws. Meanwhile he gets the release of one of their citizens who was unjustly imprisoned by the Americans for cutting into their arms business. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2022, 7:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brittney-griner-released-in-prisoner-swap/976202/147 "2022-12-11T07:54:19Z")
So, he respects the fact that political assassination is wrong, but it is something that he is just forced into doing. Poor, poor Putin. ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2022, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brittney-griner-released-in-prisoner-swap/976202/148 "2022-12-11T15:09:11Z")
Anybody else thinking about the fact that TFG lobbied for Sweden to release (African-American rapper) A$AP Rocky, who was being held in Sweden on assault charges? > **[Trump cheers A$AP Rocky's release from jail pending verdict in Sweden assault...](https://www.cnbc.com/2019/08/02/asap-rocky-released-from-jail-pending-verdict-in-sweden-assault-case.html)** > > The American rapper A$AP Rocky has been ordered released from jail pending a verdict in the high-profile assault case against him in Sweden. Obviously, the key difference is that Trump acted on the advice of trusted Diplomatic and National Security Advisers, Kim Kardashian and [urp] Kanye “Ye” West. I don’t _remember_ his supporters losing their shit over this one, but my memory isn’t what it used to be. IOWARDI. ---
**Author:** ![Ivan\_Denisovich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivan_denisovich/32/12804_2.png) [@Ivan\_Denisovich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ivan_Denisovich)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2022, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brittney-griner-released-in-prisoner-swap/976202/149 "2022-12-11T16:31:11Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > The idea that Putin would fabricate charges against an American in order to imprison a political pawn is quite plausible to me. So as long as Putin says Whelan is a spy, and the US says he’s not, I’m going with he’s not. Thank you for welcoming me. I would understand why it may seem plausible Putin would simply arrest a random American. In Kremlinology it is unusual for something to be done at random and for no purpose. The United States and Russia had many business ties at the time Paul Whelan was arrested, many businessmen coming and going every day, many tourists from America coming and going everyday. If Putin wanted a “random” hostage, he could have taken one, it is odd the person arrested has a strange job history, was behaving strangely on his visit to Russia, and had a generally strange background. It would seem unlikely to me if Putin chose a random American of the thousands in Russia at any time, he happened to choose one who held a high security position with a multinational firm and who had connections with members of the FSB. Also strange even that a person with a disreputable criminal record as a low level U.S. Marine only a few years later would be a high ranking security official at a large manufacturing firm. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2022, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brittney-griner-released-in-prisoner-swap/976202/150 "2022-12-11T16:37:26Z")
A random American wasn’t arrested. Brittney Griner, a minor celebrity, was arrested. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2022, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brittney-griner-released-in-prisoner-swap/976202/151 "2022-12-11T18:18:40Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > While it’s wonderful that she’s away from that nightmare I would have waited a little longer before trading her for an arms dealer. But how much longer do you consider “waited a little longer”? Really? You don’t feel she suffered enough length of detention time, as it is? Waiting “any longer”? Nah, she easily served long enough (too long, obviously) a period of incarceration relative to her offense. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2022, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brittney-griner-released-in-prisoner-swap/976202/152 "2022-12-11T18:48:45Z")
> [@DavidNRockies](#): > > Obviously, the key difference is that Trump acted on the advice of trusted Diplomatic and National Security Advisers, Kim Kardashian and [urp] Kanye “Ye” West. > > I don’t _remember_ his supporters losing their shit over this one, but my memory isn’t what it used to be. > > IOWARDI. Was a convicted felon released in exchange, that time? ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2022, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brittney-griner-released-in-prisoner-swap/976202/153 "2022-12-11T18:55:03Z")
Did the Right wait to attack the Biden administration _until_ the “Merchant of Death” was released in exchange for her? Uh, no. They were happy to see Ms. Griner rot in the Gulag from day one. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2022, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brittney-griner-released-in-prisoner-swap/976202/154 "2022-12-11T19:07:29Z")
Not nearly as strange as invading a large sovereign country for no reason other than conquest (and this is only according to Putin’s words – he’s explicitly stated he thinks Ukraine is not a real country, Ukrainian not a real ethnicity or language, and that it all really should belong to Russia), and yet Putin did that. Putin is, quite clearly, not a fully rational actor these days. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2022, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brittney-griner-released-in-prisoner-swap/976202/155 "2022-12-11T20:06:04Z")
> [@Guest-starring\_Id](#): > > But how much longer do you consider “waited a little longer”? I already said I don’t expect Putin to be around much longer. I expect the war against Ukraine to end in 2023 along with Putin. > [@Guest-starring\_Id](#): > > You don’t feel she suffered enough length of detention time, as it is? I would ask the same question about other people who have been in a Russian prison longer. I’m not sure how she got bumped to the head of the list. Don’t you think those people have suffered enough? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2022, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brittney-griner-released-in-prisoner-swap/976202/156 "2022-12-11T20:23:58Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > I’m not sure how she got bumped to the head of the list. We’ve already explained that: By virtue of being the only person on the list. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2022, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brittney-griner-released-in-prisoner-swap/976202/157 "2022-12-11T20:50:46Z")
Quite. The Russian government were perfectly willing to let their guy stay in the relative safety of US prison with no political consequence for themselves, while having the American side catch public opinion hell for there being any Americans in Russian prisons, whoever they were. **They** made it “_this one_, or **nobody** ” and made it clear they would use abusive sentencing in order to create more of an “offer you can’t refuse” situation. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2022, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brittney-griner-released-in-prisoner-swap/976202/158 "2022-12-11T21:03:30Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > We’ve already explained that: By virtue of being the only person on the list. That doesn’t explain it at all. In fact, it makes it sound like the US got played. ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2022, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brittney-griner-released-in-prisoner-swap/976202/159 "2022-12-11T21:07:25Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Biden of course is looking at the political gains of bringing Griner home. Look, a President’s duties are so broadly defined that the best principle guiding any decision is oftentimes “what lawful and good thing is most desired by the people I represent?” If this decision-making process brings political gains, then good. It means our President chose to serve his people by listening to what they want. This is how democracy is supposed to work. ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2022, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brittney-griner-released-in-prisoner-swap/976202/160 "2022-12-11T21:10:19Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > That doesn’t explain it at all. In fact, it makes it sound like the US got played. Do you likewise feel that the US got played when Trump released convicted Russian agent [Maria Butina](https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-russia-butina/russian-agent-butina-released-from-u-s-prison-deported-idUSKBN1X4176) entirely for free, _with no swap whatsoever_? And that she now sits in Russian parliament? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brittney-griner-released-in-prisoner-swap/976202.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brittney-griner-released-in-prisoner-swap/976202.md?page=9)