Karma is like a rubber band. You only stretch it so far before it comes back & smacks you in the face.

I am an American so, of course, I don't believe in that punishment. The real question is why Joe Biden wants Brittney released but not Americans for the same behavior.

"Maybe" is not a clear answer OM. Does not bring any value to the conversation. When are you going to learn that your arguments have no value when you can't provide a measurable answer?

When?

When...never.

Well, he certainly doesn't want his son incarcerated for smoking crack, even though he's on record as saying people who do should go to jail. Didn't he jam through some kind of criminal reform back in the day that put a lot of folks (mostly black folks) in jail for drug crimes?

if it weren't so pathetically obvious why he feels that way, it would be worthwhile to point out what a pathetic, senile, hypocrite Biden is.

If those are the laws of the country, it doesn't matter what anyone from outside the country thinks. That moron did the crime and deserves to do the time. Too bad. Try following the law.

What you're saying makes it seem like there's an absolute right and wrong here, Octavia. There isn't.

It's actually pretty sad that our govt is condemning Russia for having a law like the one she is convicted of breaking, yet have quite similar laws here. I believe weed is still considered a controlled substance by the federal govt. Right?

Regardless, she made a mistake and from what I've heard about her trial, she admitted it and threw herself on the mercy of the court, which apparently only reduced the sentence from 9 1/2 years to 9 years. Maybe that's a significant distinction under Russian law? I don't know.

This case is a personal tragedy for her, her family, friends, etc., but in the grand scheme, why is it that her being detained in Russia is more newsworthy, or has any other moral precedence over Americans being held by other foreign govts?

"Not that there's an absolute right and wrong, but that right and wrong do exist"

With a comment like that, you're not doing anything to help substantiate whatever original point you were trying to make.

"Yes, and we should also be doing what we can about the laws in this country as well"

Of course we should. But those on your side of the aisle are too busy spending all their time going after Trump, and ramming through bills like the Inflation Production Act.

Trivial in my eyes doesn't negate a sovereign nations laws.

Their laws are theirs regardless of how you feel about them. Follow a country's laws or pay the consequence. A foreigner's perspective of the morality or justness of a country's laws has no bearing on the country's prerogative to follow their own legal codes. That's the point. Agree or disagree. Protest or don't. It doesn't matter. Russia doesn't care about American public opinion and they don't have to.

They are unjust to a foreign country. So foreigners can complain all they like. No, the US is not justified in trying to secure a release because we don't agree with the law. The US is justified in attempting to ensure humane treatment of one of its citizens who violated a foreign country's laws.

Ignorance of the law doesn't excuse breaking it. It doesn't matter if I'm "ok" with getting caught breaking the law.

No. You don't want to hear the facts and keep trying to make this about something other than what it is. That's on you. Your earlier question is irrelevant. The US can ask all they want however, Russia can do as they please regardless of how anyone feels about it. Deal with it.