American prisoners released from Russia
 

All I will say is it's a great day for the men and their families . Let's just be happy for them with no political BS please .

Russia frees Evan Gershkovich and Paul Whelan in historic multi-country prisoner swap https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/russia-agrees-free-evan-gershkovich-paul-whelan-multi/story?id=112446743

+1 on the "not here" ... not the place.

Awesome news for all of them and theirs ... without knowing or caring about the details ....

Simply awesome :)

Wonder why this is happening now

Because it's August 1st .... and Jesus said it's a good day :)

This is great news. It's sad that a major world power is okay with kidnapping trade bait to get back their assassins and criminals.

Good news!

This. No easy solution to this. Its like paying ransom, it creates more of the same, but if its your loved one that's been taken, there's really no choice.

It amazes me that at least two people on this forum think this thread deserves one star.

I can't imagine the range of emotions for the men and their families . And what's your first week back on US soil like ? What's your most desired meal ? Do you go back to work ? Go to a ballgame ? Endless possibilities for hapiness.

I've been driving all day and like listening to news channels, this was an historic prisoner swap, the magnitude we haven't seen since the Cold War or ancient history

The whole thing took months to put together with 7 countries participating: United States, Germany, Poland, Slovenia, Norway and Turkey all against Russia. It is the biggest prisoner swap in post-Soviet history.

Germany was a linch pin in releasing Russian hitman Vadim Krasikov. My understanding is that without Olaf Scholz, and Poland, Slovenia and Norway, this wouldn't have happened, so it is great to see NATO working togther to make this all happen.

Apparently everyone got something but Krasikov was the only important figure to Russia. And Putin wanted him badly. The West got a ton of prisoners released basically just for Krasikov.

Slovenia apparently also played a big role fast-tracking the Russian spies they held.

All in all a great day that took months to put together with our allies.

Good relationships with foreign countries is actually important.

Awesome pic Baz, thanks for posting!

Does the State Dept now tell folks that the USSR is off limits until Putin is gone?

Good stuff, incredible story.

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Glad folks are coming home, but it is open season on Americans when the world knows that we will trade money and criminals/murderers/assassins to get them back (with no repercussions). There was a time when folks knew it was a bad idea to kidnap Americans. Many are still held around the world including by HAMAS. We can/need to do better.

This is correct. America First Isolationism, no longer wanting to be the world's policeman and "no new wars" makes the U.S. a paper tiger.

The worst part of the new evolving world order is autocrats/dictators/tyrants are now working together/helping each other to evade U.S. sanctions.

Apologies - getting off topic but I read an article recently that some Russian missiles targeting Ukraine were shot down and the parts and debris were examined. The missiles were full of high-tech sanctioned US hardware being bought and sold behind the scenes and supplied to Russia.

I am not surprised. We all need worry when China gets ahold of the most advanced ASML chips.

This is why allies are so important and everyone needs to wake up to the realities that the rest of world, especially the authoritarians, have caught up to the US while we are sinking into a resurgence of postmodernism on one side and TikTok influencers on the other.

end of the federal fiscal year?

I would more blame poor/weak leadership from elected officials and a failure to make those that attack our country pay the price. Accepting plea deals for the 9/11 mastermind Kahlid Sheikh Mohammad (KSM) and two other terrorists awaiting trial on Guantánamo Bay is a good example of this. The death penalty was/is the answer (or someday, some weak leader will also trade them for hostages).

Why do folks take hostages? The same reason crooks rob banks. It works...it is where the money is. When it stops working or the risk/reward ratio is too great, it will end.

Our willingness to play around (start wars) that do not directly involve U.S. interests (that we are not willing to fight) is the issue. Too many call for wars that they do not want to pay for with their own blood or treasure. We cannot even recruit enough to fill a peacetime military. Warhawks do not seem eager to enlist or send their own children.

Proxy wars are the worst...because we trick some other fools into dying for our political whims ...and we abandon them (because the reality sets in once the enemy shows they have more backbone than our leaders...and few Americans are willing to die for some CIA-led coup). Even fewer are physically and mentally capable of serving in our current social-experiment military. That doesn't mean that the same would be true to save/protect our own country/countrymen.

From what I have read, Navalny was part of the deal. He was killed before Germany agreed to release their Russian prisoner.

Yes. Sorta like Epstein. Dead men tell no tales.

Russians really got a great deal...pretty lopsided trade. The deal only happened because they knew that they would never get such a sweet deal offered again. Sorta like trading a rusted-out beater for a pristine early S... because the owner of the S is getting divorced and doesn't want the wife/wife's new squeeze to end up with it.

On a positive note, the families of thee 3 US citizens and the families of the Russian assassin and other assorted high-level criminals are probably really pleased. I am happy for them.

Good segment from last night.....

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This is true.

Weak, feckless US leadership is encouraging Iran and Persian proxies. Not only that, but gave them a boatload of cash to use against us and our allies. The world is a MUCH more dangerous place with a weak USA.

I guess at least there are "adults in charge" now.

Why is it we never heard about the woman that was released? Russian-American journalist Alsu Kurmasheva, was also released.

All I ever read about was Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and American veteran Paul Whelan.

Perhaps it’s because no-one cares when they have that particular hyphenation.
What’s wrong with “American”. Why does anyone get a hyphen with citizenship?

Maybe because she is a Russian citizen.