We should all want Americans released who are held unjustly by all authoritarian governments. Whelan had traveled enough in Russia over the years to know about their policies, designed to keep hard currencies under the control of the government. If he was willing to attempt to defraud the Marine Corps out of more than $10,000, he probably was willing to scam the Russians. Most of us did not know of Whelan's Bad Conduct Discharge, last week. I suspect the real reason the Russians are reticent to part with him, has to do with money.
I worked with a former high-ranking doctor from the Soviet Union who came to the VA after he defected. He said the reason he came to the US had to do with a friend of his who was a famous Chess Player. This guy left less than $10,000 in winnings in a bank in Canada. When he returned, he was threatened with being committed to a mental institution, for doing something so crazy.
