After Joe Biden authorized a prisoner swap that led to WNBA player Brittney Griner returning back to the U.S., many people have spoken out against the move, especially since arms dealer Viktor Bout, who is known as the ‘Merchant of Death,’ was released to Russia in return.
For example, Elon Musk tweeted about the move, replying to an initial post that read, “Does it surprise anyone that the Biden regime would leave a Marine behind after they abandoned Americans in Afghanistan?”
Musk replied, saying, “Never leave a marine behind. Never”
Musk was referring to Paul Whelan, the former Marine who was arrested by Russia in 2018 and charged with espionage. In 2020, Whelan was sentenced to 16 years in prison. As part of the negotiations this week, the U.S. had hoped to win the release of Paul Whelan, but sources said the deal was one-for-one.
A Republican congressman who served in an elite Army unit is also blasting the Biden administration for trading arms dealer Viktor Bout for WNBA star Brittney Griner, saying such transactions send a “terrible message” to the global community.
The Daily Caller reports that Republican Rep. Mark Green of Tennessee, who served as a flight surgeon for the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, told Fox News hosts Dana Perino and Bill Hemmer, “The real problem here is just the weakness of this president.”
The Russian government released Griner after the United States agreed to free “Merchant of Death” Viktor Bout, an arms dealer who was convicted for selling weapons to a Colombian terrorist group. In July, Griner pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis and was sentenced to nine years in a labor camp.
First videos of Brittney Griner and Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout’s prisoner swap have been released.
On a tarmac in Abu Dhabi, Griner is shown leaving the Russian prison and being exchanged for Bout.
While the Biden administration’s decision to swap WNBA player Brittney Griner for the “Merchant of Death”, Viktor Bout, has outraged many Americans as it should have, Elon Musk and Congressman Mark Green’s thoughts accurately summed up how all feel about this disgraceful move. Not only did the successful arms dealer Bout get released back to Russia, but Paul Whelan, a former marine, was left behind in Russia. It is harshly disgraceful for a government to leave behind soldiers of its own country who are willing to sacrifice their lives for it. It is now time for the Biden Administration to bring Paul Whelan home immediately and there must always be a policy that no soldier is left behind. Trust in Joe Biden should no longer exist as such disgraceful behavior goes against the values of American citizens.
