[litwin]

Let me say something, she probably had one of the shittiest years anyone can possibly have. Imagine being a tourist in what you perceive as a respectable country and be snatched out of the blue because something that you carry has a tiny bit of weed and sentenced to half your life expectancy on a penal colony... It is foking surreal. If she was able to keep her mind intact, and that is a big if... she can potentially produce a few lucrative books and/or movies/series out of this. Make lemonade out of the lemons and expose this shit country for what it is.

[Rugoz]

Why does Russia want this guy freed? He doesn't seem that valuable to them.

Because Putin operates like a crime boss. Remember when Putin traded the Azov fighters for oligarch Viktor Medvedchuk? That seemed like an incredibly stupid move politically.

Loyal people like Bout and Medvedchuk are taken care of, regardless of how useful they are. Meanwhile disloyal people are punished harshly (much more so that simple regime critics).

If you think of Putin's regime as a criminal organization it all makes a lot of sense.

[Beren]

I like how his crimes were played up when he was arrested and minimised when he's released.

"He's the merchant of death and his arrest is a huge step toward peace!"
15 years later
"He's a small fish, let him enjoy his retirement"

That's exactly 15 years in prison can do to someone. At one time he's a big shot, 15 years later a nobody. Even convicted Nazi war criminals were like that. Who cared about Speer, for example, when he was released after 20 years in prison? And he wasn't just an arms dealer for Nazi Germany.

[Rich]

Even convicted Nazi war criminals were like that. Who cared about Speer, for example, when he was released after 20 years in prison? And he wasn't just an arms dealer for Nazi Germany.

Well quite a lot of people actually. I would argue that Speer remained a far more significant figure than if he'd sneaked out to South America. Sure Speer had to reinvent himself and launch a new career as author and public speaker. As I've said before trials for top leaders of fallen regimes are ridiculous and none more so than Speer. His innocence from a capital crime was an absurdity, but a vital absurdity to the West. The myth of the honourable German majority, counter posed to the immoral extremist Nazi minority was vital to the integration of West Germany into the NATO alliance.

We have come along way since the day (it was actually night time) that Speer walked out of prison. Who would have thought that half century on German's would be criticised for moral weakness, for the moral weakness of not unleashing their Leopards IIs against the Russians. But be patient who knows what the future may hold. We may yet again see the Panzers East of the Dnieper fighting under the banner of the Wolfshangel.

[litwin]

Well quite a lot of people actually. I would argue that Speer remained a far more significant figure than if he'd sneaked out to South America. Sure Speer had to reinvent himself and launch a new career as author and public speaker. As I've said before trials for top leaders of fallen regimes are ridiculous and none more so than Speer. His innocence from a capital crime was an absurdity, but a vital absurdity to the West. The myth of the honourable German majority, counter posed to the immoral extremist Nazi minority was vital to the integration of West Germany into the NATO alliance.

We have come along way since the day (it was actually night time) that Speer walked out of prison. Who would have thought that half century on German's would be criticised for moral weakness, for the moral weakness of not unleashing their Leopards IIs against the Russians. But be patient who knows what the future may hold. We may yet again see the Panzers East of the Dnieper fighting under the banner of the Wolfshangel.

“Shit sticks to Shit”

[litwin]

That's exactly 15 years in prison can do to someone. At one time he's a big shot, 15 years later a nobody. Even convicted Nazi war criminals were like that. Who cared about Speer, for example, when he was released after 20 years in prison? And he wasn't just an arms dealer for Nazi Germany.

its not true, this business is based on the reputation, Bout has it. he has all contacts and many of his African buddies are still in power

[Beren]

its not true, this business is based on the reputation, Bout has it. he has all contacts and many of his African buddies are still in power

Why would Putin need Bout to reach out to those people? Do you think he's been unable to fill the void with someone else since Bout was arrested?

Bout is a good old comrade of Putin's, so he kidnapped an easy but still valuable enough civilian target he could exchange for him when the time had come, which doesn't exactly imply that he's still such a valuable asset to him. He rather appears to have done him, his family, and his buddies a favour, and he can also fit him in his regime and use him as a propaganda tool.

[litwin]

Why would Putin need Bout to reach out to those people? Do you think he's been unable to fill the void with someone else since Bout was arrested?

HE IS A HEAVY DEALER , I DONT THINK MOSCOW GOT MANY OF SUCH HOLLYWOOD types characters . you can watch couple of documentaries about Bout or any other death dealer one for sure its very close , VIP club of very view , well- connected people .

[Beren]

HE IS A HEAVY DEALER

To me it seems Putin rather counts on him as a prominent figure in the LDPR, and the Duma most likely. He was exchanged for a civilian because he's supposed to be a civilian, a retired arms dealer turning into a politician and celebrity. And national hero, of course. Only in Putin's Russia.

Freed Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout joins ultranationalist party

[litwin]

To me it seems Putin rather counts on him as a prominent figure in the LDPR, and the Duma most likely. He was exchanged for a civilian because he's supposed to be a civilian, a retiredarms dealer turning into a politician and celebrity. And national hero, of course. Only in Putin's Russia.

Freed Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout joins ultranationalist party

Moscow needs the shells and material badly , he is not retired , by the way, LDPR is a FSB department

[Beren]

Moscow needs the shells and material badly , he is not retired , by the way, LDPR is a FSB department

He's been out of business for 14 years or so, that's virtually retirement, and from now on he can spend his retirement in the political department as Putin's strongman in the LDPR. The Americans wouldn't have let him go anyway if he still were an effective arms dealer, and they definitely wouldn't have exchanged him for a civilian athlete, but who cares about a political buffoon?

[litwin]

He's been out of business for 14 years or so,that's virtually retirement, and from now on he can spend his retirement in the political department as Putin's strongman in the LDPR. The Americans wouldn't have let him go anyway if he still were an effective arms dealer, and they definitely wouldn't have exchanged him for a civilian athlete, but who cares about a political buffoon?

i have seen this argument , but its not true, this business is based on the reputation . VB has great reputation for this business.

[AFAIK]

Days after the release of U.S. basketball star Brittney Griner from imprisonment in Russia, Democratic and Republican U.S. lawmakers will introduce legislation on Tuesday to establish March 9 as an annual day to remember Americans detained abroad.

The bill, according to text seen by Reuters, seeks to make March 9 "National Hostage and Wrongful Detainee Day," to call increased attention to Americans unjustly held abroad and add urgency to the push to bring them home.

This is beyond irony

[Beren]

i have seen this argument , but its not true, this business is based on the reputation . VB has great reputation for this business.

Thank you for repeating yourself again, should I do the same? He may have great reputation for the business, but he's obviously out of business, and no Fox News, Pompeo, or litwin bullshit will change that. And that's it on my part.