Apparently, so did we:
"Thailand Extradites 'Merchant of Death' to U.S.
BANGKOK -- Accused Russian arms merchant Viktor Bout was flown from Bangkok toward New York Tuesday in a chartered U.S. plane, extradited in manacles....
The extradition followed a bruising diplomatic tug-of-war between the U.S. and Russia that shows no sign of letting up and could jeopardize cooperation on arms control, nuclear weapons curbs and the war in Afghanistan....
Thailand's government ordered Bout, 43, placed in American custody Tuesday, 20 months after his March 2008 arrest in a sting operation led by U.S. narcotics agents....
Bout faces U.S. charges related to his alleged gunrunning empire -- a prosecution that American officials describe as a milestone in international efforts to cripple the flow of illicit weapons that fuel conflicts around the world.
Of course, when governments sell weapons it is called arms sales and is good for the economy.
The Russian Foreign Ministry reacted with strong words after Bout was hustled from a Thai prison to a waiting jet. Russia branded the extradition "unlawful," prompted by "unprecedented political pressure from the USA."
Wouldn't be the first time.
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Can you believe I had to go to Fox News to get the uncensored version?
"As Russia fumes, US vows to try an alleged ‘Merchant of Death’; Moscow disputes charges he sold weapons for terror" by Larry Neumeister, Associated Press / November 18, 2010
Also known as the Lord of War.
NEW YORK — A former Soviet military officer dubbed the “Merchant of Death’’ for allegedly selling an arsenal of weapons that would be “the envy of some small countries’’ was in the United States yesterday to face justice, a prosecutor announced, refusing to address the possibility that the extradition had chilled US-Russian relations.
At a news conference, US Attorney Preet Bharara repeatedly responded to questions about the relations between the countries by saying Viktor Bout was brought to the United States after prosecutors successfully sought an indictment and an extradition based on evidence collected during a long-running Drug Enforcement Administration probe.
“The so-called Merchant of Death is now a federal inmate,’’ Bharara said after Bout was flown from Thailand to a suburban New York airport Tuesday to face accusations that he offered to sell millions of dollars of weapons to a terrorist group that wanted to kill Americans. “No one should ever think he can plot to kill Americans with impunity.’’
Unless they are Israelis. You know, like the attack on the U.S.S. Liberty as well as the Gaza Flotilla murders (for starters).
Bharara praised the DEA for “courageous and groundbreaking work,’’ along with the agency’s partners in Curacao, Copenhagen, and Bucharest.
The Russian Foreign Ministry had said Thailand’s decision to extradite him was unlawful, purely political, and resulted from US pressure.
Messages seeking comment left yesterday with the Russian Mission to the United Nations and the Russian Embassy in Washington were not returned.
For several months, US and Russian officials had fought for control of Bout, flexing muscles in a manner that seemed to threaten cooperation on arms control, nuclear weapons curbs, and the war in Afghanistan. P.J. Crowley, Department of State spokesman, has acknowledged possible ripples in relations with Moscow....
Thomas Harrigan, DEA chief of operations, said the arrest, extradition, and prosecution of Bout were “a victory for us all.’’
Bout was arrested in March 2008 at a Bangkok hotel after a DEA sting operation using informants who posed as officials of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, also known as the FARC, classified by Washington as a narco-terrorist group.
Another AmeriKan set-up.
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“The so-called Merchant of Death is now a federal inmate,’’ Bharara said after Bout was flown from Thailand to a suburban New York airport Tuesday to face accusations that he offered to sell millions of dollars of weapons to a terrorist group that wanted to kill Americans. “No one should ever think he can plot to kill Americans with impunity.’’
Unless they are Israelis. You know, like the attack on the U.S.S. Liberty as well as the Gaza Flotilla murders (for starters).
Bharara praised the DEA for “courageous and groundbreaking work,’’ along with the agency’s partners in Curacao, Copenhagen, and Bucharest.
The Russian Foreign Ministry had said Thailand’s decision to extradite him was unlawful, purely political, and resulted from US pressure.
Messages seeking comment left yesterday with the Russian Mission to the United Nations and the Russian Embassy in Washington were not returned.
For several months, US and Russian officials had fought for control of Bout, flexing muscles in a manner that seemed to threaten cooperation on arms control, nuclear weapons curbs, and the war in Afghanistan. P.J. Crowley, Department of State spokesman, has acknowledged possible ripples in relations with Moscow....
Thomas Harrigan, DEA chief of operations, said the arrest, extradition, and prosecution of Bout were “a victory for us all.’’
Bout was arrested in March 2008 at a Bangkok hotel after a DEA sting operation using informants who posed as officials of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, also known as the FARC, classified by Washington as a narco-terrorist group.
Another AmeriKan set-up.
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Also see: Bangkok officials find 2,000 fetuses hidden in mortuary of Buddhist temple
Thailand ending state of emergency
Gee, who remembers the Red Shirt coup attempt, 'eh?
The extradition of Bout must have bought off the CIA.
