The Trade

[woodchip]

Who here thinks the trade for the ditzy bb player who's not bright enough to look up if her stash was legal in Russia, for a notorious arms trader ?

[Spidey]

On the surface it was a bad trade...but I do think it was the right thing to do.

The merchant of death served something like 19 years...so it really wasn't that bad.

[Krom]

What would a good trade have been? Do you think a good trade is even possible when dealing with Russia/Putin?

[Vander]

I thought arms dealing was necessary for freedom.

[TheWhat]

Out of morbid curiosity I really wonder how much damage that guy is responsible for? Including lost limbs, severe burns, gang raping and genocide. Arms dealers are some baaaaaddddd hombres.

[woodchip]

What would a good trade have been? Do you think a good trade is even possible when dealing with Russia/Putin?

I think going to a place like Russia, the first thing you ask "Do I really want to", next thing is make sure you're squeaky clean, and lastly prepare that you may still be arrested. Then re-ask yourself "Do I really want to".

[Spidey]

Nobody is going to argue with you over whether she brought this on herself or not.

The Russians could have simply confiscated her vials and said sorry this is not allowed here, but instead They decided she would be a good pawn.

[Tunnelcat]

Or the Russians could've planted incriminating "evidence" on someone if they so chose, like they did with Paul Welan. So getting even ONE American out of Russia is a win. period. Plus we just got another American released from a prison camp the Russians ran inside Russian-controlled territory in Ukraine. The guy was beaten and shocked with electricity during his stint and had to endure listening to the cries and screams of other prisoners being tortured, including women. ★■◆● Putin and Russia.

[woodchip]

Again, who in their right mind would want to visit countries like that? And TC if you traded me a used shoe for Van Gogh painting, you would rightly consider that a good trade though many would not.

[Tunnelcat]

So, some Americans are less valuable than others, at least to you? I say ANY American held by Russia warrants being released by any means possible. No American is more important than another. By your implications, Griner is trash. If Trump had gotten Griner released before Welan, you'd be cheerleading the whole affair. You're also ignoring the fact that Putin obviously wants far more in exchange for Welan than some dipshit Russian gun runner. Of course, if YOU were somehow to be arrested for some stupid reason while in Russia, I'd say have fun in your new home because you aren't worth anything in exchange.

I have to add something to this ridiculous thread. I had my suspicions, but now understand why it's just the right wingers in this country who are throwing a fit over this trade. It's because Griner is a lesbian married to a women and African American as well. What a bunch of bigots. There's another forum I follow where most of the posters are red blooded right wing election denying Trumptards. They make no bones about it or their love of guns and all things boobs. Of course they know nothing about my own situation. But these "nice people" started making derogatory posts about this particular Russian trade right after it happened. Most of the crap concerned her "lifestyle" and even her body. She apparently was very masculinized in her mother's womb and is nearly flat chested. And no, she was not born a man, she was born a female. So these jackasses have focused in on her lack of breasts and her lifestyle as being unworthy of getting out of Russia. If this trade had been for a numb nut million dollar star NFL football player, even a black one, they'd all be cheering this trade, but in secret. Heaven forbid Biden being given credit for anything.

[Krom]

Yeah, I was going to mention a "good trade" probably would have been a white straight woman in my previous post. But I think Spidey deserves some benefit of the doubt so I didn't say that in my post as I didn't want to direct it at him specifically. As for the conservative internet silo and woodchip on the other hand, yeah they totally deserve it.

[woodchip]

So, some Americans are less valuable than others, at least to you? I say ANY American held by Russia warrants being released by any means possible. No American is more important than another. By your implications, Griner is trash. If Trump had gotten Griner released before Welan, you'd be cheerleading the whole affair. You're also ignoring the fact that Putin obviously wants far more in exchange for Welan than some dipshit Russian gun runner. Of course, if YOU were somehow to be arrested for some stupid reason while in Russia, I'd say have fun in your new home because you aren't worth anything in exchange.

I have to add something to this ridiculous thread. I had my suspicions, but now understand why it's just the right wingers in this country who are throwing a fit over this trade. It's because Griner is a lesbian married to a women and African American as well. What a bunch of bigots. There's another forum I follow where most of the posters are red blooded right wing election denying Trumptards. They make no bones about it or their love of guns and all things boobs. Of course they know nothing about my own situation. But these "nice people" started making derogatory posts about this particular Russian trade right after it happened. Most of the crap concerned her "lifestyle" and even her body. She apparently was very masculinized in her mother's womb and is nearly flat chested. And no, she was not born a man, she was born a female. So these jackasses have focused in on her lack of breasts and her lifestyle as being unworthy of getting out of Russia. If this trade had been for a numb nut million dollar star NFL football player, even a black one, they'd all be cheering this trade, but in secret. Heaven forbid Biden being given credit for anything.

Just to be brief, did you know Trump could of traded the arms dealer for Welan but turned it down? Said the arms dealer was too dangerous. Of course in your liberal think frame of mind the world is all bird songs and gentle warm breezes.

[Spidey]

Thanks Krom, I appreciate that.

My concern is that this dealer could help Russia kill more people and had nothing to do with Griner's race, sex or sexual orientation. In fact those issues make it even more imperative to get her the hell away from those monsters.

[Tunnelcat]

I know that was your intention Spidey and yes, it's a valid concern. But when Russia demands we trade a gunrunning scumbag for a WNBA star, do you just say "no" and just leave her to rot in a Russian prison camp because she was stupid enough to bring hashish oil into a foreign country? Judging from most of what I've read online, it's conservatives who are the ones griping about it AND using her gender as a reason to be derogatory. So in your opinion, would Paul Welan have been just as bad a trade as Griner was for that gunrunner? I say both trades, if Welan is eventually freed, are going to eventually bite the U.S. in the ass.

[Spidey]

The concerns about the gunrunner are the same regardless of who we got in return.

[Tunnelcat]

At least you're honest. I'm betting most "Republicans" wouldn't be bitching about the exact same trade if Paul Welan had been the one released. Of course, the Dems would cry about Griner, but they wouldn't be vilifying Welan for the most insipid of reasons.

[woodchip]

You do realize TC that Trump turned down a trade for Welan with the gun runner because the GR was too dangerous.

[Tunnelcat]

So I guess NO American was worth trading for a lowly gun runner under the Trump administration. Either he didn't give a rat's ass, or didn't want to taint his exalted reign as president by the very scandal that's embroiling Biden right now. I'm guessing the latter since he didn't even consider a framed by the Russians American citizen as worthy of sullying his record with such a distasteful trade.