CONLEY COMMENTARY (WSAU) – I wonder how the citizens of Bogota, Columbia feel about Brittney Griner’s release.
She was freed last week in a prisoner exchange. We gave the Russians Viktor Bout, an arms merchant who was caught, tried in the United States, and sentenced to 25 years in federal prison. He supplied the AK47s and the explosives that were used by the drug cartels in Columbia. Brittney Griner’s freedom was bought for a man who is drenched in the blood of innocent people. I wonder how the residents of Columbia feel, now that the person who blew up their innocent relatives is now free.
Does Brittney Griner have an appreciation that American drug enforcement agents and military personnel are deployed, and have been killed, trying to keep the Columbian cartels’ product out of our country? Those are the people who sacrificed because she couldn’t leave her cannabis-infused vape cartridges at home when she traveled to Russia.
Not only is the prisoner-swap completely one-sided, we didn’t get the real American hero back. Russia did not release U.S. marine Marine Paul Whelan, who Russia claims is a spy. They insisted on a one-on-one exchange. We prioritized the wrong person.
How did Brittney Griner jump ahead of Whelan in the prisoner-swap sweepstakes? The Biden Administration put a minor sports-celebrity over someone who served their country.
I’m glad Brittney is home and free. I don’t want any American citizens languishing in foreign jails on trumped-up charges. I just hope she’s aware of the high price that was paid, and the special treatment she received. Perhaps she’ll reflect on that between now and the next time she hears The Star Spangled Banner. And perhaps she’ll even stand.
Chris Conley
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