The opinions expressed by contributors are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of RedState.com.

Bowe Bergdahl walked away from his base on June 29, 2009, and was captured the next day. Bergdahl deserted. In the ensuing search, six soldiers died trying to get him back. On May 31, 2014, the twice-promoted Bergdahl was exchanged for five terrorists and returned to the United States. President Obama in announcing the prisoner exchange with terrorists said, in part:

Today the American people are pleased that we will be able to welcome home Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl, held captive for nearly five years.  On behalf of the American people, I was honored to call his parents to express our joy that they can expect his safe return, mindful of their courage and sacrifice throughout this ordeal.

In the Rose Garden, flanked by Bergdahl’s mother and the father who encouraged Bergdahl to desert, Obama said:

“The United States of America does not ever leave our men and women in uniform behind.” I’d agree, except Bergdahl stripped off his uniform when he deserted.

I remember that day. I remember feeling disgusted that we returned a deserter to his family in exchange for five terrorists. Maybe it would have been worth the price had Bergdahl been captured fighting the Taliban or Al Qaida, but he wasn’t. He was an American-hating American who cost six, good American their lives trying to get him back. It was a shameful day. Four of the five terrorists released are now in Afghanistan and officials in the terrorist regime.

In 2017, Bergdahl pleads guilty to desertion and misbehavior before the enemy. Incredibly Bergdahl filed a lawsuit in 2021 to have his sentence expunged.

Nice swap. In 2022, Obama’s VP Joe Biden tries to one-up his former boss when he agrees to release a terrorist and Russian arms dealer,  Viktor Bout, for professional athlete Brittney Griner.

Biden said:

She’s safe, she’s on a plane, she’s on her way home,”  After months of being unjustly detained in Russia, held under untolerable (sic) circumstances, Brittney will soon be back in the arms of her loved ones, and she should have been there all along.

No, Joe, Brittney Griner wasn’t unjustly detained; she broke Russian criminal statutes. She admitted it, Joe. Griner is an admitted criminal. Griner pled guilty in the hope of getting a reduced sentence.

Griner should still be in a Russian jail cell.

According to White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre aka: The worst press security in history, the only deal that the Administration could make was exchanging a low-life, high value convicted arms-dealing terrorist for an admitted criminal. She was exchanged because she checked the boxes. She’s gay. She’s black. And she refused to stand for the national anthem, saying:

“I personally don’t think it belongs in sports. … Black people didn’t have rights at that point,” Griner said of the creation of the Star-Spangled Banner. “It’s hard disrespecting [sic] a song that didn’t even represent all Americans when it was first made.”

But once Griner got caught with drugs and charged with a crime (that she admitted to), she pleaded with America to bring her home. And Biden rolled. Giving up a terrorist for an admitted criminal and complainer, and leaving a Marine behind, is shameful.

Jean-Pierre said on Thursday that this was the only deal they could make. No, Jean-Pierre, it was the only deal that Putin knew you would make and he played Biden like a fiddle. He read Joe like a cheap novel. Putin knew that eventually Biden would fold like a cheap suit and bow to identify politics. Leftists were claiming that anything but fawning praise of Griner was racist and the only reason Americans weren’t celebrating an admitted criminal was because of misogynistic racism.

Bergdahl is white and straight, and his exchange was a massive embarrassment and a capitulation to terrorists. Giner’s release comes in a  close second. The person who should have been flying home is Paul Whelan, not because he’s a white man but because he deserves to come home. He didn’t admit to a crime. Griner did. He didn’t commit a crime. Griner did. He’s a political prisoner. Griner was just an admitted criminal.

"Merchant of Death"—That's the nickname of the prisoner Biden returned to Putin. He was convicted of conspiring to kill American law enforcement.

This is a gift to Vladimir Putin, and it endangers American lives.

Leaving Paul Whelan behind for this is unconscionable.

— Kevin McCarthy (@GOPLeader) December 8, 2022

He’s not wrong.

Now, Putin knows Biden will sacrifice his king for a pawn. Whelan is worth far more than an admitted criminal. Biden confirmed that. The price for Whelan just went up. Since Biden was willing to pay such a high price, will he pay more for Whelan? I doubt it. Whelan is an America-loving, straight  white male, and a veteran. He doesn’t check the right boxes.

See Cartoon here.