Export credits, drugs and international weapons “wheeling and dealing”, not Victor Bout

The real breaking news is already know, and it has nothing to do with petty traders and the latest headlines, "Alleged arms dealer Viktor Bout whisked to America Viktor Bout, a former Russian Air Force officer accused of being one of the world's biggest illicit arms traffickers, was handed over to the US by Thai officials. It is more likely at attempt at damage control and to keep under wraps the extent of the involvement of various US government agencies and friendly governments in the tangle network of arms trafficking – and arms for drug swaps that make the wheeling of dealing of Lt. Col Oliver North and Iran-Contra look like small potatoes in comparison.  We must not forget the nexus to another friend of America and those hounds that run with the likes of KBR and other defense contractors, as North had a very close relationship with Noriega.

A turn of a shovel on the Internet put today's extradition of Viktor Bout, the poster child weapons trafficker in proper perspective. North emerged as the central figure in the infamous Iran-contra affair.  Under a grant of immunity he testified before Congress in July, 1987. He was convicted (1989) on criminal charges arising from the affair, but his conviction was later reversed on the grounds that immunized testimony had been used at his trial. In 1994, North was the Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate from Virginia, but he lost the election. Since 1995 he has hosted radio and television programs. North has written Mission Compromised (2002), a semi autobiographical novel of Washington intrigue.

It makes you wonder what lies ahead for Viktor Bout and if he has so many friends in such high places. Victor might even end up as a delegate to the UN.  The real Merchants of Death are those that are the closest of friends, NATO, US and the UK, and why are we not hearing about them in the news.  Take for information what was being said just a few years ago, BAe uses export import credits and moves to DC.

The Exim Bank of White House vicinity fame is like giving fire to a pyromaniac! How much of the British arms race and British Aerospace [BAE] military global is made possible through the Exim Bank loans? THE GUARDIAN newspaper of London has written much on the export certification and bank loan scandals they have had the misfortune of bringing heaps of attention upon themselves. BAE is now more a presence near the Pentagon in the weapons loop around Washington DC than a member of the Airbus Consortium of Europe!

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/05_46/b3959161.htm

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