How Does He Do It?
By Douglas Farah
Well, my friends on the ground in Sarjah and elsewhere tell me that Viktor Bout's aircraft are back in action yet again in Iraq and Afghanistan, working for Americans. I know, sometimes I sound like a broken record. I feel like a broken record. But is is apparently the U.S. government and its civilian contractors in Iraq and Afghanistan that are really broken. Bout's company names change, but the aircraft remain the same. Some old Bout craft have reportedly moved back to Sarjah after having been taken out for a while. The Bout companies seem to be using Moldovan registrations again. Does this all have a vaguely familiar ring to it? Can it be that hard to track? Others there do it with ease.
Of course, now that dealing with Bout and any of his affiliate companies, either through contractors or subcontractors is illegal for any U.S. company or government entity, his clients could be prosecuted, although Viktor himself remains beyond reach, in the comfortable protective swaddling of the Russian intelligence agencies. Anyone who does business with him or allows it to happen can and should face criminal charges. Of course, this administration has not been known to hold people accountable for their actions, and going after Bout's friends and protectors is probably not very high on many people's list. And yes, there were times when, with limited options available, using Bout may have been a necessary evil. But no longer. There are American companies lining up to fly the routes his companie fly. He is often not the lowest bidder, and he seldom carries insurance on the planes his companies fly. Yet you and I pay for those flights almost every day.
A brief recap may be in order. Bout flew for the most radical Muslim extremists in Bosnia. He betrayed the Northern Alliance in Afghanistan to begin flying weapons and ammunition for the Taliban. Go here to read the complete blog.