Selling Planes or Guns?

The prosecution today brought up the reason why Viktor Bout went all the way to Thailand, which was to sell 2 cargo airplanes. This is in line with what Viktor Bout had done for years past – run a transport company. With emerging markets such as Africa and the Middle East opening up for transport opportunities, Viktor Bout was there. Sharjah, UAE, was the Bout home for a while, and why not? Business-friendly conditions made for a great place for entrepreneurs to jump-start their businesses. After a successful decade or so, VB got out of the business, selling off cargo planes and other assets. Moving into construction and real estate businesses, VB lived a very private life, the result of successful business decisions. With just a couple more planes left to sell, the $5,000,000 in revenue they would have brought was enticing. An old business associate calls up with a deal to liquidate the planes. Bout accepts.

However, the US prosecutors have another story of what happened, detailing a money-hungry, American-hating Bout. Perhaps Bout was actually talking about his “fight” with US authorities, after the US put him on a blacklist years ago.

More later…