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fleur-de-lisa

(14,624 posts)
Fri Jan 4, 2019, 12:40 PM Jan 2019

Whelan, man held as a "spy" in Russia, is a citizen of 4 countries: the US, UK, Canada and Ireland

Bill Browder ✔ @Billbrowder

This is remarkable. Paul Whelan is a citizen of 4 countries: the US, U.K., Canada and Ireland. Putin hit the geopolitical jackpot when he chose to take this man hostage. He can now demand ransom from four different governments.



This story gets weirder and weirder every day. What is Putin up to?
19 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Whelan, man held as a "spy" in Russia, is a citizen of 4 countries: the US, UK, Canada and Ireland (Original Post) fleur-de-lisa Jan 2019 OP
He wants a trade for Butina because she knows everything. Claritie Pixie Jan 2019 #1
Would someone please start asking ScratchCat Jan 2019 #2
Good question. This whole incident is sketchy as hell. fleur-de-lisa Jan 2019 #3
A very shady character, to say the least dalton99a Jan 2019 #4
I heard on the radio yesterday that his family TexasBushwhacker Jan 2019 #9
He also put his own name up for promotions while in the military. dixiegrrrrl Jan 2019 #11
Maybe because he is a spy? Someone wake up VP Pence and get him to disavow it! FSogol Jan 2019 #5
Maybe he is a spy!!! atreides1 Jan 2019 #6
... 2naSalit Jan 2019 #7
+1 dalton99a Jan 2019 #8
And a dishonorable discharge. Sounds like a swarmy guy...nt mitch96 Jan 2019 #14
Swarmy! Sorta like smarmy with a bit of swamp Retrograde Jan 2019 #16
You got me thinking.... mitch96 Jan 2019 #18
Putin can demand ransom - but why would any country stick its neck out for Whelan? lanlady Jan 2019 #10
Gotta be more to this story. Power 2 the People Jan 2019 #12
And she will be a dead woman walking rusty fender Jan 2019 #15
Don't underestimate the Orange Menace Power 2 the People Jan 2019 #17
I don't doubt for one second that Trumpass rusty fender Jan 2019 #19
New Movie Idea: "Bridge of Styes" ret5hd Jan 2019 #13

Claritie Pixie

(2,199 posts)
1. He wants a trade for Butina because she knows everything.
Fri Jan 4, 2019, 12:45 PM
Jan 2019

Ireland, G.B. and Canada may pressure US for a trade if Putin threatens them in some way.

ScratchCat

(1,977 posts)
2. Would someone please start asking
Fri Jan 4, 2019, 12:47 PM
Jan 2019

why BorgWarner hired a man with the equivalent of a felony record for theft to be the head of its international security division?

dalton99a

(81,391 posts)
4. A very shady character, to say the least
Fri Jan 4, 2019, 12:51 PM
Jan 2019
His service as staff sergeant ended when he was convicted at a special court-martial on an attempted larceny charge, military court documents show. He was accused of wrongfully using another person's Social Security number and writing bad checks.

https://edition.cnn.com/2019/01/02/us/paul-whelan-detained-russia-what-we-know/index.html

TexasBushwhacker

(20,133 posts)
9. I heard on the radio yesterday that his family
Fri Jan 4, 2019, 01:14 PM
Jan 2019

was unaware of his "bad conduct" discharge from the military.

dixiegrrrrl

(60,010 posts)
11. He also put his own name up for promotions while in the military.
Fri Jan 4, 2019, 01:30 PM
Jan 2019

As in abused his position to access military administrative files to fake his own promotion papers.
He was caught for that, too,

ended up being busted down to private (no veteran's benefits) and kicked out of military.

This guy is literally a crisis actor, the whole thing is a setup from the get-go. Trump know that.

Retrograde

(10,128 posts)
16. Swarmy! Sorta like smarmy with a bit of swamp
Fri Jan 4, 2019, 04:14 PM
Jan 2019

and maybe some smirk on the side. I think this is going to be my new favorite word for a lot of Repubs.

mitch96

(13,870 posts)
18. You got me thinking....
Fri Jan 4, 2019, 06:02 PM
Jan 2019

So I looked it up...
Swarmy is an unscrupulous person. Smarmy is an smug obnoxious person Swarthy is a dark skinned person.
Not to be confused with Shawarma also shaurma , is a Middle Eastern meat preparation based on the kebab of Turkey

I'll take the kebab.....

m

lanlady

(7,133 posts)
10. Putin can demand ransom - but why would any country stick its neck out for Whelan?
Fri Jan 4, 2019, 01:23 PM
Jan 2019

He's been tried as a thief and a fraudster, and dishonorably discharged.

Let the company that was dumb enough to hire him as a security manager shoulder the burden of getting him out of trouble.

Power 2 the People

(2,437 posts)
12. Gotta be more to this story.
Fri Jan 4, 2019, 01:32 PM
Jan 2019

No way we let Trump give them Butina in exchange. I want her to spill the beans on all the corruption of the GOP and NRA.

 

rusty fender

(3,428 posts)
15. And she will be a dead woman walking
Fri Jan 4, 2019, 02:53 PM
Jan 2019

if we “give her up.” There is no way in hell that she wants to be exchanged with anyone

Power 2 the People

(2,437 posts)
17. Don't underestimate the Orange Menace
Fri Jan 4, 2019, 04:59 PM
Jan 2019

He was willing to turn our ambassadors like Michael McFaul over to Putin before he was stopped. He will have no problem turning her over especially if it pleases Putin.

 

rusty fender

(3,428 posts)
19. I don't doubt for one second that Trumpass
Fri Jan 4, 2019, 08:23 PM
Jan 2019

will turn her over, but because she has been cooperating with Mueller, I believe she wouldn’t want to go.

ret5hd

(20,481 posts)
13. New Movie Idea: "Bridge of Styes"
Fri Jan 4, 2019, 01:39 PM
Jan 2019

Plot:
A gov't led by a "manchurian candidate" sends a double agent spy to purposefully be caught so the other gov't can retrieve their spy.

The spy exchange takes place on a walkway over a septic sewage system.

I think it's a winner! Won't even have to hire actors or a film crew, just pay licensing fees for newsreels!

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