In 2022, American basketball star Brittney Griner was arrested in a Moscow airport for possession of marijuana — when in fact, what she had were some medically-prescribed cannabis oil cartridges that she had been given for pain. In August of that year, she was sentenced to nine years in prison. But on December 8th — after a total of ten months in pre-trial detention and prison — she was released in a trade arranged between the governments of Russia and the United States.

Sent back to his home in Russia, in exchange for the innocent American sportswoman, was Viktor Bout . . . a notorious Russian arms dealer widely known as the “Merchant of Death.” For nearly 20 years, he had sold weapons to rogue states, rebels and warlords in Africa, Asia and South America. He was arrested in Thailand in 2008 and extradited to the United States, where he was convicted in 2012 on terrorism-related charges and sentenced to 25 years in prison.

Hardly a fair exchange, in the estimation of a great many people. The U.S. had refused to swap Bout before; but the Russians wanted him back — apparently very badly — and they knew they had a winning hand when they found Griner’s cannabis oil. So they arrested her, convicted her, and imprisoned her; and after months of negotiations, the deal was made.

For nearly two years, little has been heard of Viktor Bout outside of Russia. And now, the Wall Street Journal has reported that he has once again been dealing arms, this time to the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen:

“‘When Houthi emissaries went to Moscow in August to negotiate the purchase of $10 million . . . worth of automatic weapons, they encountered a familiar face: the moustachioed [sic] Bout,’ it reported, citing sources.” [James Kilner, The Telegraph, October 7, 2024.]

Reports from “people familiar with the matter” said that deals between Russia and the Houthi representatives were for weaponry ranging from small arms to anti-ship missiles. It was not known to what extent Bout was involved in the various trades, or whether he was acting on behalf of the Kremlin or simply with its tacit approval. [Id.]

But his presence was noted . . . and significant.

It does not appear that the potential arms sales have been completed, or that they would include the advanced weapons the Houthis might be seeking. But even small arms shipments would be a danger in the hands of the Houthis, who have been designated by the U.S. as a terrorist group. [Benoit Faucon, Michael R. Gordon, Warren P. Strobel and Alan Cullison, Wall Street Journal, October 7, 2024.]

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So why on earth did we let this dangerous, hardened criminal loose on the world? Tymofiy Mylovanov, President of the Kyiv School of Economics, says:

“The Biden administration had previously assessed the risks of Bout’s release as ‘acceptable.’ It was believed he wouldn’t go back into the arms trade but would join politics. Well, now those ‘acceptable’ risks have been realised [sic]. I fear he is just starting.” [The Telegraph, op.cit.]

In fact, Washington was partially right. Political office seems to be a favorite landing spot for Moscow’s returning criminals and spies. Bout did indeed join a far-right, pro-Kremlin party upon his return home, and in 2023 won a seat in a local assembly. It appeared to some that he had reformed, until that meeting with the Houthi representatives in August. [Wall Street Journal, op.cit.]

To say that the United States’ assessment was naive would, I believe, be a gross understatement. We screwed up — big time! For when has a treacherous, unscrupulous, highly successful arms dealer ever shown a propensity for choosing politics over his lifelong career? His world is all about the thrill, the danger . . . and the money.

It’s that simple.

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The Wall Street Journal reports that Steve Zissou, a leading New York criminal attorney who represented Bout, declined to discuss whether his client had met with the Houthis. But he did have this to say:

“Viktor Bout has not been in the transportation business for over twenty years. But if the Russian government authorized him to facilitate the transfer of arms to one of America’s adversaries, it would be no different than the U.S. government sending arms and weapons of mass destruction to one of Russia’s adversaries as it has sent to Ukraine.” [Id.]

Oh, that’s very nice. I know it is the job of a defense attorney to . . . well . . . defend his client before and during the trial and any subsequent appeal. But a dozen years after the fact, to continue trying to justify the criminal actions for which that client was convicted — and which the whole world knows he did commit — well, that is just beyond all reason . . . and certainly outside the requirements of professional ethics. Better to say nothing at all.

Viktor Bout was not in the “transportation business,” Mr. Zissou. And sending weapons to defend a country under attack — yes, I’m speaking of Russia’s war of attrition against Ukraine — is not the same as selling weapons to a terrorist group whose sponsor’s aim is to wipe another country off the map.

Where is your conscience, sir?

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
10/8/24