Brain
Posts: 3792
Joined: 2/14/2007
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Too bad, I was hoping Russian American relations would continue to improve in the future.
What Does Viktor Bout Know?
The world’s most notorious arms dealer is coming to America to stand trial. And that has Russia very worried.
What made Bout unique was his ability to merge private profiteering with state interests in the new globalized world of unfettered weapons flows. Dubbed the "Merchant of Death," Bout, often under the protection of his Russian superiors in the military intelligence structure, created a one-stop shop for weapons that could be delivered virtually anywhere in the world. His access to former Soviet arsenals, aircraft, and crews would not have been possible without state protection.
If the extradition goes through (and under Thai law there are no further appeals allowed), what could Bout offer if he opted for a plea bargain? He could likely tell a great deal about the Russian-led networks that continue to arm jihadi movements in Somalia and Yemen. He also likely knows how the Russian military intelligence and arms structure works, including its interests from Iran to Venezuela and elsewhere. His knowledge base, although he is only 43 years old, goes back more than two decades and possibly extends to the heart of the Russian campaigns around the globe.
No matter what happens with Bout, those quasi-state arms networks will not disappear. But without his unique capabilities, acquiring large amounts of weapons and ammunition has become more difficult and more costly for some of the worst groups in the world. The full-service enterprise has become a series of boutiques, making shopping more time consuming, expensive, and vulnerable to law enforcement and intelligence.
http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2010/08/20/what_does_viktor_bout_know
Suspected Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout arrives at a criminal court in Bangkok on Friday. A former Soviet air force officer, Bout is reputed to be one of the world's most prolific arms dealers. (Sukree Sukplang/Reuters)
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