Victor Bout, a real-life Milo Minderbender; News programs and shock jocks arent the only ones who can profit from Partisan politics.

Bout is the most nefarious arms dealer in the known world. He has been the quartermaster of Al-Quadea, the Taliban, the RUF and even the Pentagon.

When the Berlin wall fell and the Soviet Union disintigrated, soldiers charged with guarding the vast stockpiles of Soviet hardware were no longer recieving a paycheck. In an effort to sustain their newly uncertain futures, they would sell to the highest bidder. Bout, one of the few Russians who had an innate enterpanourial spirit seized advantage of this recent instability. He made connections with the Angolan military (eventually being a translator), and with his requisitioned aircraft, was able to transport arms; as an enterpaneur with no political loyalties, he had no qualms with selling arms to the Rebels.

The cash and experience he aquired from the Angolan civil war led to larger investments, leading to the Northern Alliance in Afghanistan. One of his shipments to then was intercepted by their enemy, thusly he linked up with a new client: the Taliban.

Essentially, his political apathy and business savvy, and of course vast stockpiles of arms, has helped him to exploit global conflicts from both sides.

Another strange turn of events, he also delivered food-drops and medical supplies, essentially contributing to foreign relief efforts. An example was the Sudan effort. Some could argue his help in the Darfur region was reconcilitory, he was distributing arms to the Junjaweed, often during the same sortie.

Although, since the Clinton administration, more importantly Richard Clark, had placed him on the international watch list; during the Iraq war, his services have been purchased by the Americans. Usually in the form of airdrops that are otherwise very difficult for them. Most US contractors have used his planes, Fedex and Halburtin¹. His role was so essential to the US actions in Iraq, that he had access to fuel his planes up at their Air Force bases.

When the contracts were exposed, the Pentagon waited nine months before responding to implications, probably due to the importance of his role in their occupation.

George W Bush's famous axiom, "You're either with us or with the terrorists." carries a bitter irony.

For more, and probably better, information:

• 
  Merchant of Death by Douglas Farah, Stephen Braun, Stephen Braun


• Wikipedia:Victor Bout

¹ Suprise suprise, Halburtin formed an offshore subsidiary to sell oil refining equipment to the Iranians, which would otherwise be restricted by Sanctions.

( hide comments ) add a commmment nevermind