It’s good that Fogel is returning, and the gesture of his release is an act of good faith between the Russian government of Vladimir Putin and the U.S. government of Donald Trump.
However, that said, Marc Fogel was not arrested and detained for some arbitrary reason. The American teacher was arrested, tried and convicted for taking marijuana into Russia. The Russian government doesn’t recognize medicinal marijuana, and they do not play around with illegal drugs or classified narcotics. It’s a big issue and considered a serious crime with severe penalties.
President Trump on Tuesday secured the release of an American imprisoned in Russia as part of a deal with the Kremlin negotiated by Mr. Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff. Mr Witkoff flew to Moscow Sunday for discussions with Russian officials.
New York Times – […] Mike Waltz, Mr. Trump’s national security adviser, said in a statement that Mr. Witkoff, at the president’s direction, had brought Mr. Fogel out of Russia on his plane as part of an exchange. But he did not provide any details about whether the United States or an ally had released someone in return or what other steps the administration had taken to win Mr. Fogel’s release.
“President Trump, Steve Witkoff and the president’s advisers negotiated an exchange that serves as a show of good faith from the Russians and a sign we are moving in the right direction to end the brutal and terrible war in Ukraine,” Mr. Waltz said.
[…] the deal, in discussion for several days, is a gesture of good will for both sides, aimed at smoothing the path to talks over the war in Ukraine and potentially improving relations between Russia and the United States. (more)
All is good.
Killing stops soon.
Peace and stability returning.
We have more in common with Russia than Russia has with China.
That is the critical fact as far as the future is concerned.
Oh, and the folks who started the Ukraine war to spur regime change in Russia – removing Christian, nationalist Putin – are the same folks who want Christian, nationalist Trump dead. There’s that too.
Not bettin’ on team Obama now.
You bet on him before?
Absolutely true and needs to be said more often. No, Russia is not always a good actor. Look at what happened under some of our presidents and what is being unearthed now.
We should get off of our high horse because this has ran through republican and democratic administrations. President Trump is truly resetting the world. We need to open some arms and communications with the Russians.
I’ve “said” this before and I’ll say it again:
Navalny (Novichok)
Litvinenko (Novichok)
Skripal (Novichok)
Nemtsov
Magnitsky
Anna Politkovskaya – assassinated on Putin’s birthday
Anatoly Levin-Utkin
Chechnya, Georgia, Crimea
Just to name a few.
Deals are one thing, people making deals can be another thing entirely.
… from an Old Cold Warrrior
I don’t believe there will be any peace anytime soon. There is no incentive for Russia to sign a peace treaty at this time. Russia is crushing the Ukrainians slow and sure like an anaconda. There’s still a lot of territory Russia wants and all the peace proposals we’re pushing are non starters for the Russians. Russia will never make a peace that allows for foreign peacekeepers in Ukraine ,the continuation of the Nazi regime in Ukraine , and a rearmed Ukrainian army. There’s no difference in NATO countries peacekeepers on the border and NATO officially on the border. It is obvious that Trump is being ill informed by our deep state. Short of NATO troops entering the war Ukraine is going to be totally defeated. If NATO enters the war directly the it will very quickly escalate to nuclear war. Russia views this war as an existential war for survival.
I get confused when Treepers exult with Trump winning, then bemoan how misled and deceived he is on this critical topic. We know so much more than Trump, the CEO himself does!
I call them the “but(ts)”😉 … “I love Trump, but …”
Rush Limbaugh said his screeners were used to them, just what you said, they’d start off with how much they admired Rush and listened loyally from the beginning BUT this is the first time they disagree and feel the need to say something, …
War is overr in 6 weeks! Max!
CUT THE CORD
The Russians have been clear since 2014, when our State Department staged a regime change coup in Kiev, as to where they stand.
Expanding US paid, commanded and controlled NATO, coupled with the fact Trump pulled us out of the INF in his first term, into the Ukraine is an existential threat to their nation. Period.
They will not accept a freeze or truce, much less a DMZ. All foreign troops will be targeted and eliminated.
Zelenskii occupies the presidential office contrary to Ukraine law. Declaring martial law does not authorize the president to ban elections, which he did, a year ago March.
No presidential election, no peace treaty, Ukraine just keeps losing 2,000+ men a day, and more territory will join the RF.
Another round of sanctions will not harm Russia, it will simply firm up the resolve from many countries to strengthen BRICS. We have managed to create the closest ties between China and the RF in history. Good job permanent government.
Trump has a once in a century opportunity to establish sane relations with the RF and a lasting European security arrangement.
That would be a legacy if accomplished in itself.
Trump is being ill-informed? He has had 4 years and a presidency to become informed. What do you think is happening now came from? Him sitting on his ass for 4 years with no plan. Sometimes I really wonder………
aside from the point this is a good diplomacy effort to create normal relations with Russa, which I do support 100 percent.
there is also the point that a 14 year sentence for simple possession of pot, in an amount that could hardly be considered anywhere close to dealing/trafficking is completely outrageous.
I do believe that pot should be Illegal, yes and yes. But this 14 year sentence is complete nonsense.
On the other hand, if it were proven the guy was dealing and trafficking, yes that elevates to a longer sentence.
but 14 years for simple possession for weed. it just makes Russian law seem ridiculous. What purpose does that serve …it defeats any notion that Russian courts are reasonable, sensible.
and also this: what a freaking idiot. He looks like the kind of idiot who would pull a stunt like this too.
I understand the point of getting Americans back home and free from excessive onerous foreign prisons….but like the giant black dribbler, he’s an idiot that cost American taxpayers a LOT of money and created tensions that could have been avoided.
I don’t celebrate his return for that reason. He isn’t some hero. He doesn’t deserve to have his name blasted. He has taken up too much time for this administration …About the only consolation I can see in any of this …that President Trump found a way to leverage this deal and not exchange actual Russia criminals and drug friends..so, at least there is that.
God Bless America
When I flew Singapore Air to Singapore, immediately before landing, the flight attendant announced it was the death penalty for drug use. That was 30 years ago. I just googled and that still stands.
No matter how we view other countries’ drug offenses, we do so from the drug riddled land we live in.
I recall the head of the incentive company I worked at (Delta’s largest incentive and commercial business at that time) saying, “When you travel to another country, you are their guest, the same as when you go into someone’s home and you should abide by their rules or not visit their country.”
I think that advice should stand today also.
Our country has degraded to such a low level that we can’t see the value in a high standard. Sad.
I totally disagree with you. It’s THEIR country and the laws they choose about drugs is UP TO THEM. YOU may think they are ridiculous. But, if their values say it dangerous THEY can make it punitive. Yes, it IS very punitive.
I don’t smoke and drink very little. I SEE the damage it has done to our society. I WISH our laws were more punitive of drugs. Instead, our alphabet agencies helped bring this problem to our country.
Can’t believe I am the only one who upvoted this comment.
Their legal standards,not yours.
Trump kept a promise to Marc’s 95 year old mother.
The globalists raped Russia almost to death as a functioning national civilization during the 1990s’s, leading to V. Putin’s ascension. 3-7 MILLION Russians died prematurely, mostly from drugs and alcohol, as a result of too many giving up hope that there was ever going to be a better tomorrow. The wide range in the estimate stems from exactly how one defines ‘premature’.
The Russians have paid in blood resisting attempts to destabilize their civilization. The kind of suffering they endured is something that echoes down the generations. They take drugs VERY VERY seriously as a direct consequence.
If only the rats who rule over us did as well. Instead, our misrulers are completely ok with drugs flooding over our borders killing our people, because most of them want us dead so they replace us with diversity. We should learn from the Russian experience. It would only be fair, because they have learned from us. We have shown them and the rest of the world the path not to go down.
Thank you for that history lesson on Russia. Now I understand why Russia is so anti-drug.
The billions that the U.S. seized by Biden will be returned to Russia. That was the beginning of the de-dollarization that has since reversed with Trump. World leaders, including evil ones, respect Trump because he treats them fairly.
Sean Hannity was calling Mr. Fogel a hostage – but actually, wasn’t he a prisoner, there because he broke their laws on marijuana?
Gotta turn off that Sean Hannity – we have pretty much kept Fox News off since after the 2020 election but have been watching it again after the Inauguration –
fixing dinner in the kitchen, hearing him interrupting yet another guest who just started speaking –
he is so stupid but I am really stupid for having him on!
Can’y stand that man anymore. He tries so hard to be relevant! Way too hard. His interviews are disgusting. And what’s with the pen and the glasses? Is he trying to make anyone watching think he’s smart?
I turned off Fox News when they fired their only remaining commentator that wasn’t afraid to speak the truth.
Hannitus Interuptus is an idiot.
Perfect!
I have not heard one person thank President Putin. Is he not the one that let him go? I love President Trump, but it took two to release the guy.
I just heard President Trump, and the hostage thank President Putin. I am so happy to be wrong.
Deleted – wrong thread
For all the tough talk and bluster this shows Trump and Putin are talking and want peace. They are not there yet but this is a gesture of goodwill by Putin.
Damn right it is.