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Arguably? We traded the Merchant of Death who was supplying arms to terrorist organizations for a WNBA player. What exactly did we gain there?
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While I have mixed feelings about the Brittney Griner situation, I also think most people don't know how Russian "laws" work.
The way crimes are prosecuted in Russia isn't always black and white. In some cases, the government is aware that you are breaking the law, but only acts for political (Putin's) gain.
In essence, they use the fact that they know you committed a crime, as an invisible gun to the back of your head that they can fire at any time for any reason.
For example:

Nearly ALL of Russias elites engage in corruption
Corruption is illegal in Russia...like over a decade in prison illegal
The Russian government likely knows who all of the high profile corrupt officals are
They do not immeadietly prosecute corrupt officals when they find out

The point being that whenever Putin feels like it, he can remove an elite and say they were corrupt, and would actually have real evidence. But he isn't going after these people because they re corrupt and he wants to clean up the country...he is doing it for some arbitrary reason that benefits himself.
So on the one hand, it is plausible that if Brittney Griner had drugs on her, she likely did this before, and the Russian's knew about it.
But the fact that they chose to act now, was likely political in nature. They were about to do something that would be condemned internationally, and wanted ammunition to shoot back.
So while yes, Britney Griner broke the law and should be called out on it, that doesn't change the fact that her detention was most likely politically motivated.  And if it was politically motivated, a political solution isn't all that absurd or a sign of "American Privilege" >


So on the one hand, it is plausible that if Brittney Griner had drugs on her, she likely did this before, and the Russian's knew about it.

We can not attest to what likely happened in criminal case circumstances. This argument would not hold anywhere. It is just an assumption. I invite you to argue with the data that is shared with us, instead of conspiracy theories.
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But the fact that they chose to act now, was likely political in nature. They were about to do something that would be condemned internationally, and wanted ammunition to shoot back

We also do not have data to state whether they waited to act or Griner was caught red-handed. Not trusting Russia is a trait you and I both have but conspiracy theories are not arguments. >

Also the harshness of the sentence was pretty clearly politically motivated, if a russian guy went in the US and beat someone up breaking a couple bones and exactly after the invasion of Ukraine he gets a life sentence you would call that an unfair and politically motivated sentence >

There are people in the USA arrested for having weed. Right now in federal prison for the last 20 years >

Simple cannabis oil not accused of trafficking? 
I mean that is bad but it doesn't prove Britney isn't a political sentence it just shows the US is too harsh on marijuana charges >

Russia has weed banned federally. USA has weed banned federally. It’s stupid. We all know why USA did it. To appease the BLM people. >


Britney Griner got arrested for breaking Russian law

First, you're right that she was arrested for breaking Russian law. To the extent that you claim that alone, you're right.

demanding her being brought back was American Privilege
Demanding Griner back was disrespectful to every single country in the world.

It is not disrespectful for countries to demand the return of citizens that were prosecuted in another country. This is true even if Russia did not have a kangaroo court system that routinely ignores its own stated internal rules when prosecuting American citizens. This happens all the time, it doesn't mean each nation condemns or is disrespectful of the other nation. Do you think it's necessarily disrespectful for Russia to demand the return of it's nationals?

It was a message to the world: "Our nationals do not have to respect your laws if it's not like ours. But you can't do the same thing to us. We can do this because we are strong." 

A prisoner exchange, which is what occurred after the verdict in the Russian kangaroo court system, sends a different message: "We are willing to negotiate for the release of our citizens, even if it means trading someone who committed far worse crimes in our land, because we value rule of law and our citizen was punished in a manner inconsistent with the rule of law." 

Also, in the future, if an unpopular US citizen is arrested because of the same reason in a foreign country and the government does nothing about it, that would not just be hypocritical, it would mean that means that popular individuals are more important than other citizens. Isn't that concerning?

That would be concerning. Luckily, as the Washington Examiner and other outlets have reported, that is not the case under this administration's state department. Other prisoner exchanges have occurred that don't involve anyone nearly as famous - which is probably why they aren't as reported on. >


our citizen was punished in a manner inconsistent with the rule of law."

As if we dont  imprison people for marijuana here >

Honest question for you: do you think she would have been charged with "trafficking" and not just "possession" if not for the current US/Russia political climate?  Or better yet, is it reasonable for people to believe that? >

So the problem is her sentence? Would you be okay if the sentence was 5 years but not 13 years? Or just write your number. 
Every country has a different approach to drugs. Russia for instance is extremely suffering from drug addiction and alcoholism. If you triple the amount of the worst places in America, that would give you the best place in Russia. Maybe they are harsher because of that? Not just only the US-Russia political climate (which was never good). 
Every country has unique reasons for the severity of its law. Many US states grant you to kill the people who trespass on your yard. In my opinion, letting someone get away with killing someone else just because of trespassing is extreme. Many other countries do not allow that, including Russia. If you kill someone in your yard, you're in for murder. So, I don't think, as Americans, we have the position to dictate what is harsh or not. >

The problem in this case is the REASON she was sentenced the way she was.  I am not asking "Is her punishment reasonable from Russia's point of view" I am asking "Is her punishment harsher than it should be because she is American?"  For example, she had a vape cartridge, and they said she was trafficking a significant amount of cannibis.  Do you agree that people who view her as being charged harder because she is american have a reason to want her back, but not a person arrested in the UK who was arrested for breaking the law with nothing indicating there was a "prosecute the american" element to it? >


Demanding Griner back was disrespectful to every single country in the world. It was a message to the world: "Our nationals do not have to respect your laws if it's not like ours. But you can't do the same thing to us. We can do this because we are strong."

But they did do the same thing to us, we released a Russian who broke our laws. The facts do not comport with your assessment. >

It was a trade proposal we initiated. >

Irrelevant. Russia would just say no if they respected US law. Russia respects no laws, not even their own. >

Russia played politics from the very first opportunity.
That made her valuable.
A wnba player of good quality who was openly gay ticked alot of boxes for the creation of an example for the Russian people to see. It also pissed off alot of americans.
We got the better deal... and the Russian people know we will take care of our own regardless of sexual orientation.
note: Russian womens basketball will take a hit come international play whenever Putin's stupid war is over. >

Russia is a corrupt kleptocracy that is in a rivalry with America and you trust them to a) not make up charges and b) not overcharge for anything that did happen? >

So what view are you explaining here and open to changing? Because I assumed the title was your thesis, but you don't seem to reference "American privilege" ever again and seem to veer into a lot of unconnected topics. >

Depends on how holistic you read my entry. Obviously, you can understand that the American Privilege is demanding a negotiation or a trade for a convicted American felon in another country just because the punishment is considered harsh by American standards. It's America-centrism. Thinking that the world revolves around America? >

Well the rules of the sub here are to foster productive conversations and help people change views. If you don't provide a clear thesis and clear evidence that supports it we have nothing to dispute to undermine your view. 
I don't see what's unique to America about this situation. Pretty much every country will negotiate to get their own citizens released from other countries. >

Thank you for responding to me in a civil and non-insulting manner. Rare values as long as I've seen.
​

I don't see what's unique to America about this situation. Pretty much every country will negotiate to get their own citizens released from other countries.

The United States did not seek justice for its citizen who was trying to bring humanitarian aid to the Gaza strip but was killed by Israeli soldiers. If we talk about politically motivated deeds, the US does that too. Griner was not the only American who was sentenced to prison time for drug charges. When did we hear the US government negotiating a trade with another country to save its citizen? In my opinion, Griner was a popular citizen and the government was afraid of backlash. My point is, I don't believe in justice for the popular. I believe in justice for everyone. >

One of the first pieces of advise I heard about travelling abroad is to know the embassy contact information in case you are accused of a crime, run into trouble, or are a victim of a crime. Embassies help out citizens in foreign countries all the time. Sometimes they are successful. Often they are not. The only reason you heard about Griner is that it was high profile and controversial. >

This would suggest she did NOT get arrested and receive the sentence in large part because she was american.  Given that the max sentence in russia for possession is a couple of years at most and typically some community service only, yet  griner got a sentence of 9 years it would seem to me it's at least plausible she was made an example of.
So...I think your view should change here because you're ultimately suggesting that the political response to a political action isn't reasonable.  What I'd suggest you're doing is looking at it as if it's a criminal action being responded to with a political action.
In your example, what would you think of someone who was put in jail for 10 years for polygamy when the normal law is simply to not be granted a license for marriage? >


Given that the max sentence in russia for possession is a couple of years at most and typically some community service only

She pleaded guilty to "possession without intent to sell and traveling into Russia with a controlled substance" >

Lol. She had 0.7 grams of cannabis oil. In a vape cartridge. 
And you believe she had intent to sell? As in she would travel halfway across the world to sell $30 worth of cannabis oil and make like....$5?
Give me a break. >


Lol. She had 0.7 grams of cannabis oil. In a vape cartridge. 

.7 grams of hash oil, which has trace amounts of cannabis oil in it. >

That’s not how it works. Hash oil is a cannabis extract. Hash oil and cannabis oil are basically the same thing. You have some minor distinctions between different extraction techniques and post processing, but there’s not a “hash plant” or some other unique plant that hash oil comes from. >

Sorry, I was going by the article OP linked to (I think...small chance it was a different NPR article) >

The only way it would have trace amounts is if it was a CBD vape. From “hemp”. Even though hemp is still the cannabis plant, just with strains that have less than 0.3% THC.
No need to apologize. It’s a distinction that isn’t common knowledge. >


Demanding Griner back was disrespectful to every single country in the world.

I don't think demand is the right word.  It was a deal, and Russia arguably made out better on the deal.