The news of the swap for Russian prisoners (24 prisoners in all affected, as I have heard) is phenomenal. Phenomenal. Evan Gershkovich, Paul Whalen, Vladimir Kara-Murza and 13 other western prisoners held by Russia. Extraordinary.
Where was I wrong? I expected a swap, yes. A smaller swap. But I did not expect it today. I thought it would be a gift from Putin to Trump as an unofficial quid pro quo for the second Trump administration pulling back support for both Ukraine and NATO, and that Trump would be able to announce this as an October surprise to help win back the presidency. I did not expect this to be accomplished by the Biden administration. I was wrong. And I admit it.
This is an enormous victory for the prisoners and their families and for this country and certain of our allies. It is one more defeat for Trump and his campaign. I wonder how he is going to spin it.
While I am at it, I will add one more thing. Yesterday it was announced that a deal had been made to spare Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and two others from the death penalty. I have heard Republicans screaming about how this demonstrates the incompetence of the Biden administration and demonstrates the weakness of our country. I want to try to counter that position.
The cases against the 9/11 masterminds, strong as it may be on the facts, faced a number of problems. First, there was a question of jurisdiction of military courts and civilian courts. Second, the limitation passed by Congress that would not permit them to be transferred out of Guantanamo even for trial or punishment. And thirdly, defenses which would have been raised by their lawyers about procedural shortcomings, especially allegations that they had been tortured (e.g., waterboarded) while in American custody.
In other words, their convictions were far from assured, and their trials already been postponed for decades. Now, we are spared all of that, and we have guilty pleas. And they will spend the rest of their lives in prison.
Art is 80 
2 responses to “Special Second Post of the Day: I WAS WRONG (and I Admit It)”
Agreed on both points in Aug. 1 blog.
We need to hear more about VP Harris’ role in the prisoner swap. Apparently she had a strong personal role in the diplomacy, which if true, could be helpful in her campaign.
Another item from today’s news that I want to learn more about is the report that the assassination of the Hamas leader in Teheran was accomplished by a bomb, not a missile, and it was secretly embedded in the guest house some time ago. Where did this report come from? What does it say about anything? Could a bomb even have been implanted by part of Hamas that wanted an ability to strike down one of its own in internal rivalry, perhaps to stave off a peace negotiation with Israel? What message does it give Iran and its allies about Israel’s intelligence capabilities? Does it enhance chances for peace or make a wider war inevitable? What position should the US be taking? If Israel is responsible for ending peace negotiations and a wider war results, can/should the US keep out of it? Sometimes one can be glad not to be working in the White House.
Bert
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Inner rivalry inside Hamas? Even I didn’t think of that. And how did they know Haniyeh would be staying now if the bomb has been there more than a month? Was this before or after the elections? Or even the plane crash? And who detonated it? And how? And how many other buildings in Tehran have bombs-in- waiting?
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