I don't disagree. We have no right to free her. We have a diplomatic responsibility to try and get her back. In no universe do i trade an arms dealer for her. If we have a russian national in prison somewhere with a similar offense i would make the deal. The russians won't do that because our state department has already signaled a willingness to do more. It was like playing poker and showing your cards. Russia could easily expell her from the country, ban her return, and save themselves the cost of keeping her locked up. They are just using her for leverage because it's the smart thing to do. We would do the same i would hope.
Griner gets 9 yrs 20 yrs 90 yrs in prison blah blah blah now they can use that prison sentence as leverage to free Russian prisoners in the US Just a matter of time before a swap happens Are we on the 1 yard line of this impending trade lol
buddy, there's a difference between what the sentencing guidance is and how it actually get applied in the real world. this is the case with practically all laws. the motivation here wasn't to punish someone who violated their laws to maintain a just and orderly society -- they used those laws as pretense for nabbing an American citizen they could then use as a bargaining chip. And no, that's not where you the blame lies, you absolute nitcompoop. it is not griner's fault she's being used this way, any more than it would be paul whelan's fault for being accused of being a spy. or if it would be your fault for being mugged because you walked down the wrong street at the wrong time. maybe you shouldn't have walked through a bad neighborhood, and maybe that was a mistake. But when it comes time to assign blame, IDK, here's a thought, let's focus instead on the people committing the actual wrong-doing.
I'll let the Washington Capitals know that the next time Ovechkin gets a little drunk in public, the FBI is coming to arrest him. That way we can start making demands of Putin
You're going to have to explain how your rationalize Russia taking advantage of the situation by issuing a longer sentence. So if they issued a shorter sentence there wouldn't be any political leverage exercised by them? How naive are you? Again, she transported drugs across an international border. There are many countries she would be seeing a longer sentence from...
So dui is drug trafficking? I know you meant as a joke... just pointing out you're not making a like comparison. Bottom line is she put herself in the situation. Russia isn't treating her outside of normal treatment for her offense. They are simply taking as much advantage of the situation as they can. If she had been sentenced to 2 years we would still be hearing the same stuff about swapping arms dealers for her. I hope the state department can get her out of the mess she made for herself but not if we're risking more lives by exchanging dangerous people for her.
I don't think all Americans should come home. The ones that don't want to be here or denounce the country are welcome to be set free and go elsewhere. Not saying they shouldn't be allowed back, just saying take all your hate and move it to a country where they want your views and appreciate you $hitting on their doorstep.
No, I'm just standing in sheer wonder at the suggestion we should start manipulating charges against Russian nationals -- those who have nothing to do with Putin -- to help our country's geopolitical situation. That's doesn't make you some clear-eyed realist -- just an amoral prick. And FFS, 9 > 2. Is it really hard to understand why the seven extra years gives extra leverage? These negotiations could take years. In theory you'd lose all leverage if this dragged into 2023 and all of a sudden, she only has a year left in jail anyway. Did I really just have to explain that? I'll try to hold your hand through one last point: They kept the sentence within guidelines because they need a fig leaf of legitimacy, because as long as they have that, a gaggle of chattering idiots like you will have all the excuse needed to pretend this is actually OK. Hell, they even bothered to contrive a reason to invade Ukraine. Same reason. If you don't want to start a mass prisoner swap because of Griner, fine. It really would incentivize more kidnapping, more BS charges, etc ... These are difficult questions and, frankly, I'm glad I don't have to make them. But it's some shameful, shameful **** when people spend their time blaming Griner for what was nothing more than a dumb mistake and act like Putin is nothing more than a rational actor above reproach, or think the verdict was a fair one when it's obviously political BS. And it says a hell of a lot about the character and morality of the people who do.
In the US. She says she was rushing to catch a flight and forgot about the oil being in her bag. But it was medical mar1juana.
"Dumb Mistake" Transporting drugs across an international border... I mean, who hasn't made that mistake, right? And yeah, you're going to have to explain how Russia would be acting any differently if she had been handed 3 years. I'm just not seeing how they aren't doing the exact same thing.
oh ffs it was less than a gram of cannabis oil. you keep talking as if she's pablo escobar. to directly answer you question -- i'm guessing literally millions of poople have made that "mistake." honestly, I'd go on. but i'm increasingly worried that if we keep at this, i'm going to get a note from your caretaker asking me politely to stop being mean to you because you've already suffered enough in this life. In the meantime, have fun continuing to gargle Putin's balls. You're awfully good at it.
Weird comment since you're claiming Putin would go easier if she had just gotten fewer years. Honestly i think the issue is you have never left the country... usually you're filling out forms for "medicine" as she would have done had she made a "mistake". They don't even have Mucinex in the uk. You get some weird rules in places sometimes. Not checking first is a rookie mistake. She had been there before. And if millions of people were taking illegal drugs across the border it would be widely known. That's not to say there isn't trafficking. It's just not millions of drug mules out there... that's certainly exaggeration on your part.
Yes. In Florida, for example, it can and is prescribed for a variety of reasons, pain from injuries being one of them. It can be taken by vaping. A good friend of mine recently moved back to Austin from Pensacola, where he'd been working the last few years, and is still using his prescribed oil for back pain. Texas appears more backward by the day when you consider that Florida allows that and Texas doesn't.
Was just about to post this. You seemed very reasonable and not at all offensive, weird how he just started going with all that condescending **** every third sentence. I guess some people think that makes their arguments look stronger (not really).
I mean we're discussing opinions. It's not like there's a right or wrong one... I feel I'm kind of middle ground. I think the state department needs to try and get her out. We just shouldn't turn lose a dangerous person to do it... Anyone who doesn't put the responsibility on her is looking for a scapegoat.
