Victor Bout - Wanted in Africa, Needed in Iraq - Arrested in Thailand*** SAMs to FARC***

[seemslikeadream]

http://www.ipsnews.net/interna.asp?idnews=23828

SPECIAL REPORT: Wanted in Africa, Needed in Iraq
By Julio Godoy

PARIS, May 20 (IPS) - Arms dealer Viktor Bout was the merchant of death wanted for feeding conflicts in Africa - until Iraq happened.

Today the United States and Britain are using his extensive mercenary services in Iraq. The condemnation of his role in the diamond wars and other conflicts in sub-Saharan Africa over the past ten years is being silently erased.

The Tajikstan-born Bout would be an embarrassing ally to acknowledge publicly. But the coalition partners are showing him exceptional favours as he does some of their job for them.

The UN Security Council drafted a resolution in March to freeze the assets of mercenaries and weapons dealers who backed ousted Liberian dictator Charles Taylor. Bout should top that list, French diplomatic sources say. But the diplomats and UN sources say the United States has been working to keep Bout off that list.

U.S. officials have indicated unofficially that the reason is that Bout is useful in Iraq, the sources told IPS.

One of Bout's many companies is providing logistical support to U.S. forces in Iraq, well-placed French diplomatic sources say. His private airline British Gulf is supplying goods to the occupation forces, they say.

In recognition of these services both the U.S. and the British governments have been opposing French efforts to include Bout in the UN mercenaries list, the diplomatic sources revealed.

”We are disgusted that Bout won't be on the list, even though he is the principal arms dealer,” according to a diplomat involved in the UN negotiations over that list. ”If we want peace in that region (West Africa), it seems evident that Bout should be on that list.”




http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=2969379&mesg_id=2969379

[acmavm]

1. This should tell the world what a steaming pile of filth and

corruption that this administration is. That is if they haven't had the damn sense to figure it out before now.

There aren't words apt enough to describe how filthy and disgusting this situation is.

[sicksicksick_N_tired]

2. Isn't that something? The U.S. government has been paying this man,...

,...to provide logistical support to US in Iraq.

Incredible! Believable but still incredible! OUR GOVERNMENT FLAT OUT SUCKS!!!

[KharmaTrain]

3. Into The Rabbit Hole...

The international arms bazaar...or should I say bizarre...has some strange bedfellows, and this dude has been one of its slickest operators. I read about his involvement in the Balkans and how he had unlimited access to the former Soviet arsenal...peddling weapons and info to all sides and his extensive political contacts from Putin to the CIA. He reminds me of the Saudi arms dealer (name escapes me for the moment) who has also run quite a weapons operation...filtering weapons to all sorts of insurections and making a nice profit in the process.

I suspect this detention is either for his own security...things are too hot out there and he needs a place to cool his heels while the world dies down and found a friendly country to play host (for a price, of course)...or he's pissed off someone and double-crossed one time too many. I tend to think the former...like a Dr. Khan...he's got too many important friends in important places and he'll slip out of his confinement when its convenient...or just use this sham and operate his empire from behind "bars".

I haven't seen or heard a word about this story in our beloved corporate media...maybe Olbermann will pick up on this. I suspect Bout's story reads like a spy thriller and then some...but then it also could reveal dealings that would be highly embarassing to some of the most powerful people.

:hi:

[EFerrari]

4. Peace on Some of the Earth.

:grr: