On today's episode we explore details of the historic exchange that allowed the U.S. to welcome home Michigander Paul Whelan from a Russian prison.

Whelan, a security contractor and former U.S. marine was imprisoned in Russia for six years. He was convicted of spying, but maintains he got caught up in a Russian sting.

Our guest, Tom Nichols recently published an essay in The Atlantic detailing the benefits for Russia of systematically detaining Americans and Europeans, and how President Putin has manipulated prisoner negotiations to his own benefit.

GUEST: 

Tom Nichols, staff writer at The Atlantic, author of the Atlantic Daily newsletter, and professor emeritus of national-security affairs at the U.S. Naval War College

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  Music in this episode by Blue Dot Sessions.