Let me get you caught up. An American pastor, Andrew Brunson, was imprisoned in Turkey a few years ago under suspicion of terrorism, after a failed coup in Turkey led the nation to lock up everyone who had a whiff of guilt. In this case, a Christian whiff of American guilt. Allegedly. Today he was released after diplomatic push and pull.

From FoxNews:

Andrew Brunson, the American pastor who was imprisoned and then placed under house arrest in Turkey due to his alleged ties to an outlawed group, was ordered freed on Friday and sentenced to time served -- and is now expected to stop in Germany for a medical exam before returning to the U.S.

I'm not going to suddenly pretend to understand the legal system of Turkey. Based on the quoted article, Brunson only had to serve two years in prison, then the rest of his three year sentence under house arrest. But his sentence was cut short due to, as I understand it, Donald Trump's administration hitting Turkey where it hurts: their wallets.

The Trump administration advocated persistently for Brunson's release, leading to an intense economic showdown between the two NATO allies. In August, the U.S. slapped sanctions on an array of Turkish officials and on some goods, sending Turkish currency into freefall.

Put in simpler terms: release our guy or we'll squander your allowance, young man. Go to your room and think about your actions. Think about it quick, because utilities don't pay for themselves, and America can knock down your tower of coins in cartoonish fashion.

Money talks, bitches.

Diplomatic talks are all well and good. They make for fabulous television, especially if you want to come across to your audience as compassionate and understanding. But action, in this case hitting Turkey in their pockets, yields far better results.

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