Our countrymen are free, and home...

Beemerguy53

Beemerguy53

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I'm watching right now the live news coverage of the arrival of Paul Whelan, Evan Gershkovich, and Alsu Kurmasheva at Joint Base Andrews outside of Washington, D.C. What a terrific moment! I can only imagine how they feel after being held by the Russians all this time...and the joy on their families' faces is priceless!

The Washington Post has covered this story extensively, and I've shared below one of their articles on the complexities of the agreement that unfolded today. Sixteen Americans, Russians, and Germans were freed from Russian custody, while that thug Putin got back 8 of his agents, including an assassin serving a life sentence for a murder he committed in Berlin. This is one of most complicated prisoner exchanges in decades, and many people, from a variety of countries, worked very diligently to make it happen.

To be sure, there has been criticism of the deal that freed our countrymen, and I'm sure the press will pick apart today's events in the days and weeks to come, but as an American, I'm very happy they're free, and I welcome them home.

https://wapo.st/4fuP7kB

Who are the Americans freed from Russian prison?
 
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There is much to be learned from this event and what led up to it. Whether those that need to heed those lessons do so, remains to be seen.
 
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Onomea said:
I, too, am glad they are home with their families again.

I hope a major lesson learned by all Americans is that one should not travel to countries that the US government says are unsafe for Americans to travel.
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Amen to that!

What's especially vexing about the situation with Russia is that one needn't break any laws or do anything wrong to end up in jail there; Putin simply grabs hostages when he needs them as negotiating chips, and has them falsely charged with crimes.

I can't imagine any American traveling to Russia these days unless it was a matter of life-or-death.

Here's a link to the State Department's travel map...

Travel.State.Gov CSI

And this link will take you to the list of alerts and advisories about specific countries...

Travel Advisories
 
IAM Rand said:
At what cost? Sorry to be cynical here but, what did Putin get. He may be a little crazy but, he is not stupid.
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He got one of the most lethal gangsters/ trainers extant. We'll eventually come to regret it. The fact the homecoming was used as a cheap political photo op spoiled the moment. Glad they're back. Joe
 
What did Putin get?

From what I read, his ability to gain the return of the Russian assassin from a life sentence in Germany for murdering an enemy of Russia* in broad daylight in a Berlin park, sends a message to those who oppose Russia, wherever they are, that Russia can reach and kill them, while also sending a message to those who are loyal to Putin, and do his dirty work abroad, that they will not be forgotten if they are caught.

* I initially wrote "dissident," but, looking the man up, Zelimkhan Khangoshvili, I learned that he was a Chechen who fought against Russia:

From today's WaPo: ...In 2019, acting on behalf of a Russian intelligence agency, Krasikov gunned down a former Chechen fighter at point-blank range in Berlin’s Kleiner Tiergarten park. A German court sentenced Krasikov to life in prison and condemned the murder as “state terrorism.

”
Putin had called the victim, Zelimkhan Khangoshvili, a “bloodthirsty” killer who had attacked Russia. And he praised Krasikov as a patriot. Putin became singularly focused on freeing him from Germany, evincing a kind of obsession with his case that remains puzzling to U.S. officials, who said they still aren’t entirely sure why the Russian president wanted Krasikov freed so badly...

Wikipdia: Zelimkhan Khangoshvili - Wikipedia
 
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I do not think we should have made the trade.
We ALWAYS get screwed on these deals. American hostages are worth about a billion dollars each now. I’ll bet we paid that much in cash and kind in this deal too. Lots of taxpayer money involved.
What were those Americans doing over there anyway? They knew the risks. Pretty stupid and careless on their parts. I have no sympathy for them at all.
Once again America takes it in the shorts.
 
pharmer said:
He got one of the most lethal gangsters/ trainers extant. We'll eventually come to regret it. The fact the homecoming was used as a cheap political photo op spoiled the moment. Glad they're back. Joe
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I didn't hear or see any cheap political photo op...no campaign speeches, no signs, no comments about candidates or elections, etc. (If those elements had been present I would not have started this thread.) I saw the government officials who worked to make this happen welcome our countrymen home.

Rhetorical question: what would you have written if they had arrived back home late at night and no one was there to meet them?
 
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Not taking the bait. Starting to cloud up around here at present. Gov has tuned up the "Emergency Management system" for the "approaching storm." Better have your TP and bottled water already, "It's showtime!" Joe
 
LVSteve said:
There is much to be learned from this event and what led up to it. Whether those that need to heed those lessons do so, remains to be seen.
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^^^^This!

Travel outside CONUS is always risky despite the nation or comfort level....these days travel INSIDE the CONUS is not that great, either.

If one goes looking for trouble...they will usually be rewarded with it and in copious amounts. Just travelling to some countries is tantamount to looking for trouble.

As to the deal made, such "intrigues" have been going on since time in memorial. Few outside the State Department will ever really know the truth as with all such cases like this. At this point, our citizens are back home with their families and I'll leave it at that.
 
Onomea said:
What did Putin get?...
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The Russians who were released and returned home were FSB agents and at least one assassin. However, Putin has no idea of how many of them may have been "turned" while in custody and are now working for the West. My prediction is that within a year, all of them will meet with fatal accidents.
 
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