In a shocking announcement released this past week, the Biden administration proclaimed that there was a proposed trade for Britney Griner, a WNBA star who had been detained in Russia on charges of possessing cannabis. In return, the Russian government will be receiving Viktor Bout, a notorious Russian arms dealer known as the “Merchant of Death.”
The two are incomparable in importance, yet U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken has publicized the trade, showing the gravity in attempting to free Griner and marine Paul N. Whelan from Russian grasp. However, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey V. Lavrov has not responded to Blinken’s request, stating that he was “too busy to talk” at the moment.
While international prisoner exchanges are never attractive, this particular one has generated much controversy. Due to this, Griner’s case has raised questions about whether standards should be applied when the United States decides to trade prisoners. This question becomes much more complicated when dangerous criminals that threaten civilians are involved, such as Bout. Despite this, Jeremy Bash, chief of staff at the C.I.A. believes saving Whelan and Griner is the highest priority. Bash believes that “the fact that Bout is a big fish isn’t really part of the calculus. We value our own citizens a thousand times more than we value the foreign criminal. … We will do almost anything to save an American life.”
While such firm determination in nationalism and American patriotism is admirable, other veterans disagree with Bash’s view. John R. Bolton, a former U.N. ambassador and national security advisor, believes that “it’s one thing to exchange prisoners of war. … but negotiations and exchanges with terrorists or with authoritarian governments become dangerous because then you’re just putting a price on the next American hostage.” Essentially, this trade would encourage increased imprisonment of more Americans in foreign lands, which opposes the goal of saving Americans.
This dilemma has challenged the nation’s leaders since its founding, from when George Washington fought the Continental Congress over a prisoner exchange with the British to Jimmy Carter’s failure to release hostages held by Iran. However, Jared Genser, a human rights lawyer, believes it is time to “end hostage taking once and for all”, a belief that will hopefully be answered.
The two are incomparable in importance, yet U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken has publicized the trade, showing the gravity in attempting to free Griner and marine Paul N. Whelan from Russian grasp. However, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey V. Lavrov has not responded to Blinken’s request, stating that he was “too busy to talk” at the moment.
While international prisoner exchanges are never attractive, this particular one has generated much controversy. Due to this, Griner’s case has raised questions about whether standards should be applied when the United States decides to trade prisoners. This question becomes much more complicated when dangerous criminals that threaten civilians are involved, such as Bout. Despite this, Jeremy Bash, chief of staff at the C.I.A. believes saving Whelan and Griner is the highest priority. Bash believes that “the fact that Bout is a big fish isn’t really part of the calculus. We value our own citizens a thousand times more than we value the foreign criminal. … We will do almost anything to save an American life.”
While such firm determination in nationalism and American patriotism is admirable, other veterans disagree with Bash’s view. John R. Bolton, a former U.N. ambassador and national security advisor, believes that “it’s one thing to exchange prisoners of war. … but negotiations and exchanges with terrorists or with authoritarian governments become dangerous because then you’re just putting a price on the next American hostage.” Essentially, this trade would encourage increased imprisonment of more Americans in foreign lands, which opposes the goal of saving Americans.
This dilemma has challenged the nation’s leaders since its founding, from when George Washington fought the Continental Congress over a prisoner exchange with the British to Jimmy Carter’s failure to release hostages held by Iran. However, Jared Genser, a human rights lawyer, believes it is time to “end hostage taking once and for all”, a belief that will hopefully be answered.
