Viktor Bout, a supposed international weapons dealer dubbed the “Merchant of Death,” was extradited to the U.S. from Thailand on Tues. Bout has been in a Thai jail since 2008 and his activities have been well known enough to inspire the 2005 motion picture "Lord of War," in which the arms dealer was portrayed by Nicholas Cage. His extradition to face terrorism charges in the United States of America angered the Russians and is seen as a possible threat to healing U.S./Russia relations.
Why Viktor Bout makes Russians worried
After WA tried for 2 years to get Viktor Bout extradited on terrorism charges, he got on a plane to the United States Tues. Moscow pressured the Thai government. They wanted Bout to be let go. Because he tried to sell $5 million in weapons to the Columbian rebels in 2008, he was arrested by the Royal Thai Police and the United States Drug Enforcement Administration. Bout denies being a weapons dealer. He said he owned a business focusing on delivering goods to inaccessible places around the world. There is suspicion that Moscow is really just afraid the United States of America officials will discover out regarding the Russian military intelligence that Bout has.
Making sure we keep an eye on the Merchant of Death
Supposedly, Viktor Bout was supplying weapons to many warlords. These were in places like Africa, South The United States and the Middle East. A previous lieutenant in the Russian military, Bout allegedly ran global weapons operations that employed regarding 300 individuals. The Taliban was allegedly being supplied with weapons by Bout. In 2002 in Afghanistan this happened. In 2008, DEA agents found him as they were supposed buyers for the Columbian rebels after he went underground. Hawking missiles, landmines, and other advances weapons such as drones has gotten Bout into trouble. This is what the DEA indictment is all about.
Man getting used between both Russia and United States
The extradition was called illegal and politically motivated by Russian foreign ministry as Viktor Bout was sent to the U.S.. President Barack Obama and Dimitry Medvedev have been working on the relationship although many think the relationship among the United States of America and Russia may get worse because of this. Others say that if last summer’s Russian spy scandal featuring Anna Chapman did little to disrupt the new spirit of detente, Viktor Bout isn’t really much of a threat. Problems will not come from that. They are more likely to come if the U.S./Russia nuclear treaty doesn't go through with the Republicans having control of the U.S. congress.
Articles cited
Washington Post
washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/16/AR2010111600072.html?hpid=topnews
Christian Science Monitor
csmonitor.com/World/Global-News/2009/1022/who-is-viktor-bout
Telegraph
telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/thailand/8137270/Viktor-Bout-extradition-takes-shine-off-US-Russian-reset.html
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