It’s kind of like a Dem drone to pretend that a trade between a basketball player and a terrorist is acceptable.
Either Whelan did not commit espionage as charged or did at the behest of his government. If the former, I feel for him as wrongly accused, despite his past wrongdoings. If the latter, and Joe should know, then his past makes no difference, as he was evidently serving his country in a dangerous way when captured. If the latter, I also am not sure how much of his past record we can believe.
None of that changes the fact that a terrorist was traded for a WNBA star. Had Whelan been a spy and we obtained Whelan and Griner for the terrorist, it would make more sense.
But, because Afghan Joe wanted his PR hit more than he want to negotiate from a position of power, Putin abused him. If Putin wanted the terrorist, he needed to give up both. Joe should have walked away until Putin understood that. But, Joe was beholden to the idea of getting the Lefist icon out by Christmas, he Afghaned the deal.
So, belittle conservatives all you care, Joe focked up so that liberals could celebrate and he could take a fake victory lap.