We got played hard on the Griner trade....

 

Brittney Griner is coming home after being released from a Russian prison in return for infamous arms dealer Viktor Bout - The Merchant of Death.

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— OutKick (@Outkick) December 8, 2022

The difference in coverage on this thing between the left and right (been monitoring it on Fox vs MSNBC) is stunning.

My take is in the title.

We got played hard on this one.

They get back a top agent, notorious for killing Americans and we got back an professional athlete?

Not cool.

The talking heads are saying that in addition to being a Marine (which I would think would get him higher in the pecking order), he's also an "asset" of some sort (the White House Press Sec and the President basically said as much).

So that's the best we could do?

The White House was so desperate to get Griner back that they left the Marine/Asset in Russian hands?

I don't want to buy that but it appears so.

I have little confidence but I hope dude hangs in.  Its been a rough ride I'm sure and I don't see it smoothing out.

One thing seems obvious but if true it will have me punching walls.  I'm pretty sure that the Russians wanted to trade our Marine for the Merchant Of Death.  I'm betting we refused. Then Griner gets busted and we ask for Griner and our Marine ... Russia refuses and makes the counter offer for only Griner.

For political reasons, the White House agrees and now our guy is gonna remain imprisoned for the duration of the new cold war.

I hope that's wrong.