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R/I ~ AA
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Former US Marine Paul Whelan has been held on false charges in Russia for nearly four years. Why wasn’t he prioritized in the deal?
As the Biden administration told it, though, Whelan was never on the table. Instead, the Russians insisted that the trade had to be for Griner or no one. Yet, astute observers noted how little sense that makes. Why would Russia want to make the choice easy for Biden? Wouldn’t they gain much more from making him make a choice between two Americans? And why would the Russians want to give up Griner before Whelan given that Griner is a public figure and obviously more valuable?
Sure enough, there’s evidence emerging that the White House’s story isn’t exactly accurate. For example, NBC News originally reported via a senior government official that the Russians were offering either Griner or Whelan in the deal. Later on, the article was stealth edited to match the administration’s talking points.
Are we to believe the original article just misquoted the government official? Somehow, I seriously doubt that is the case. Rather, it feels like NBC News got a call from the White House and then cleaned things up to push the official narrative, undercutting their own bombshell in the process.
There’s more, though. Whelan’s lawyer was quoted in the same NBC News article as saying that the United States chose Griner because she was the more “humane” choice.
Whelan’s Russian lawyer, Vladimir Zherebenkov, also said that the deal was an exchange of “one to one” and that choosing Griner, 32, appeared “more humane” because she is a woman and an Olympic champion, while Whelan was in the military and it is “easier for him to be in custody.”
DarkGoldenMan
Article URL : https://redstate.com/bonchie/2022/12/09/it-sure-looks-like-biden-is-lying-about-the-brittney-griner-prisoner-swap-n671663