My only problem with the Griner deal is that I think everyone is going to forget about this other guy. And I am skeptical that the article is truthful about whether he could have been prioritized in the deal.
Link: https://www.cnn.com/2022/12/08/politics/brittney-griner-released/index.html
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The lionization and public attention was a big part of Griner getting released, IMO.
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...in order to avoid confirming that such detainees were really spies. It's murky - he was doing odd things.
But, over time, we'll swap for him.
Maybe he was a spy, hard to say. When I read the CIA smoke screen, it kind of reminded me of Snowden in that he didn't seem qualified to have the clearances he did. Chance of finding the truth is around 0%.
That is part of our ongoing leverage with hostages and with the war in Ukraine.
It is not in Russia’s economic interests to be a pariah.
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They'll get him out.
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The Russians are going to want one of their spies for him, since he was convicted of espionage.
Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Whelan_(security_director)
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