As Russian authorities tighten their grip on WNBA star Britney Griner, President Biden proposes an alarming tradeoff: releasing the world’s most infamous weapon dealer back to Russia. Known as the “merchant of death,” Russian arms trafficker Viktor Bout has notoriously sold weapons to terrorist groups, rebels, and militants and is serving decades in prison for conspiring to destroy Americans. As the Russia-Ukraine war rages on, returning such an effective and experienced arms dealer back to Russia will only cause further issues.
Prisoner trade-offs are typically complicated and messy, especially between two countries such as the US and Russia who are already at odds with each other. Ever since Bout’s arrest in 2008, Russian officials have been demanding his return and refusing to exchange any prisoners unless he is released from prison. Politicians confirm that it is clear that Bout has connections with higher officials in the Russian government, perhaps even with Vladimir Putin himself.
Viktor Bout arriving at court in Bangkok, Thailand in 2010. He was tried in court and convicted of conspiring to kill Americans and has since been in US custody with a sentence of 25 years in prison.
If Viktor Bout was released, he could potentially threaten America and cause international instability to completely topple over. In the past, Bout was tried in Thailand and found guilty of plotting against Americans and calculating our doom. He traded weapons with violent groups that also targeted the US and many other innocent civilians. Even while he sits in prison, he vehemently refuses to cooperate. How could the US government release such a criminal back to their homeland to put all US citizens at risk?
Bout’s connection to the Russian government is clear since Russian government officials have been fighting for his return for decades. He would play an essential role in obtaining dangerous weapons in the Russian-Ukraine war and could potentially be the one person Russia needs to completely annex Ukraine. The US needs to truly be an ally and protect international citizens as well who would be put at great risk if Bout is released from prison.
In the US, Bout can be carefully monitored to ensure that he has no ties to the Russian government and cannot conspire against American and global citizens a second time. However, if President Biden releases Bout from the US’s custody, it could launch the US and Russia into even more international instability with many other countries stuck in between.
Although many Americans and international fans alike are fighting for Griner’s return, we must consider the implications of such a trade-off. This plan has not yet been finalized, and it requires further diplomatic debate between the US and Russia. However, the Biden Administration should not release Viktor Bout at any cost – the implications and threat to world peace is too large to simply overlook. The US government needs to always place their citizens as the first priority. However, bringing Griner home while putting the entire country at risk would be an imprudent decision that the US government will regret in the long run.
Sources:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/07/29/victor-bout-gru-sechin/
https://s3.amazonaws.com/appforest_uf/f1659263427193x621719543737524700/Why%20the%20U.S.%20Offered%20to%20Swap%20Griner%20for%20Bout%2C%20a%20Russian%20Arms%20Dealer%20-%20The%20New%20York%20Times.pdf
https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2022-07-30/viktor-bout-shadowy-arms-dealer-who-may-be-key-to-russias-release-of-basketball-star-griner
Prisoner trade-offs are typically complicated and messy, especially between two countries such as the US and Russia who are already at odds with each other. Ever since Bout’s arrest in 2008, Russian officials have been demanding his return and refusing to exchange any prisoners unless he is released from prison. Politicians confirm that it is clear that Bout has connections with higher officials in the Russian government, perhaps even with Vladimir Putin himself.
Viktor Bout arriving at court in Bangkok, Thailand in 2010. He was tried in court and convicted of conspiring to kill Americans and has since been in US custody with a sentence of 25 years in prison.
If Viktor Bout was released, he could potentially threaten America and cause international instability to completely topple over. In the past, Bout was tried in Thailand and found guilty of plotting against Americans and calculating our doom. He traded weapons with violent groups that also targeted the US and many other innocent civilians. Even while he sits in prison, he vehemently refuses to cooperate. How could the US government release such a criminal back to their homeland to put all US citizens at risk?
Bout’s connection to the Russian government is clear since Russian government officials have been fighting for his return for decades. He would play an essential role in obtaining dangerous weapons in the Russian-Ukraine war and could potentially be the one person Russia needs to completely annex Ukraine. The US needs to truly be an ally and protect international citizens as well who would be put at great risk if Bout is released from prison.
In the US, Bout can be carefully monitored to ensure that he has no ties to the Russian government and cannot conspire against American and global citizens a second time. However, if President Biden releases Bout from the US’s custody, it could launch the US and Russia into even more international instability with many other countries stuck in between.
Although many Americans and international fans alike are fighting for Griner’s return, we must consider the implications of such a trade-off. This plan has not yet been finalized, and it requires further diplomatic debate between the US and Russia. However, the Biden Administration should not release Viktor Bout at any cost – the implications and threat to world peace is too large to simply overlook. The US government needs to always place their citizens as the first priority. However, bringing Griner home while putting the entire country at risk would be an imprudent decision that the US government will regret in the long run.
Sources:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/07/29/victor-bout-gru-sechin/
https://s3.amazonaws.com/appforest_uf/f1659263427193x621719543737524700/Why%20the%20U.S.%20Offered%20to%20Swap%20Griner%20for%20Bout%2C%20a%20Russian%20Arms%20Dealer%20-%20The%20New%20York%20Times.pdf
https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2022-07-30/viktor-bout-shadowy-arms-dealer-who-may-be-key-to-russias-release-of-basketball-star-griner
