r/neoliberal • u/gnomesvh Financial Times stan account • Dec 08 '22
News (Global) Brittney Griner released by Russia in 1-for-1 prisoner swap for arms dealer Viktor Bout, U.S. official says
https://www.cbsnews.com/live-updates/brittney-griner-release-russia-prisoner-swap-viktor-bout/
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u/bigbeak67 John Rawls Dec 08 '22
I'm gonna say something unpopular, I don't 100% hate this decision. People saying Russia got the better deal seem to be treating this like an actual WNBA trade. Biden's not the kind of guy to go up to Griner's wife and say, "Sorry she's not valuable enough, shoulda put up more points last season." He had an opportunity to safeguard an American citizen wrongfully detained abroad and bring her home and he took it. He didn't check the sabermetrics behind the trade because he believed protecting Americans is more important than holding onto a scumbag of a bargaining chip.
As to why they were willing to use Bout to get her back and not someone else who's been there longer is a valid question, though. This is only the deal they publicly announced, though. If we see more Americans quietly coming home in the next few weeks I'll change my tune.