What do you think?
Rate this book
Merchant of Death: Money, Guns, Planes, and the Man Who Makes War Possible
Praise for Merchant of Death ""A riveting investigation of the world's most notorious arms dealer--a page-turner that digs deep into the amazing, murky story of Viktor Bout. Farah and Braun have exposed the inner workings of one of the world's most secretive businesses--the international arms trade.""
—Peter L. Bergen, author of The Osama bin Laden I Know ""Viktor Bout is like Osama bin a major target of U.S. intelligence officials who time and again gets away. Farah and Braun have skillfully documented how this notorious arms dealer has stoked violence around the world and thwarted international sanctions. Even more appalling, they show how Bout ended up getting millions of dollars in U.S. government money to assist the war in Iraq. A truly impressive piece of investigative reporting.""
—Michael Isikoff, coauthor of The Inside Story of Spin, Scandal, and the Selling of the Iraq War ""Douglas Farah and Stephen Braun are two of the toughest investigative reporters in the country. This is an important book about a hidden world of gunrunning and profiteering in some of the world's poorest countries.""
—Steve Coll, author of Ghost The Secret History of the CIA, Afghanistan, and bin Laden, from the Soviet Invasion to September 10, 2001 ""In Merchant of Death , two of America's finest reporters have performed a major public service, turning over the right rocks that reveal the brutal international arms business at the dawn of the twenty-first century. In Viktor Bout, they have given us a new Lord of War, a man who knows no side but his own, and who has a knack for turning up in every war zone just in time to turn a profit. As Farah and Braun uncover and document his troubling role in the Bush Administration's Global War on Terror, his ties to Washington almost seem inevitable.""
—James Risen, author of State of The Secret History of the CIA and the Bush Administration ""An extraordinary and timely piece of investigative reporting, Merchant of Death is also a vividly compelling read. The true story of Viktor Bout, a sociopathic Russian gunrunner who has supplied weapons for use in some of the most gruesome conflicts of modern times--and who can count amongst his clients both the former Taliban regime in Afghanistan and the U.S. military in Iraq--is a stomach-churning indictment of the policy failures and moral contradictions of the world's most powerful governments, including that of the United States.""
—Jon Lee Anderson, author of The Fall of Baghdad Two respected journalists tell the incredible story of Viktor Bout, the Russian weapons supplier whose global network has changed the way modern warfare is fought. Bout’s vast enterprise of guns, planes, and money has fueled internecine slaughter in Africa and aided both militant Islamic fanatics in Afghanistan and the American military in Iraq. This book combines spy thrills with crucial insights on the shortcomings of a U.S. foreign policy that fails to confront the lucrative and lethal arms trade that erodes global security.
—Peter L. Bergen, author of The Osama bin Laden I Know ""Viktor Bout is like Osama bin a major target of U.S. intelligence officials who time and again gets away. Farah and Braun have skillfully documented how this notorious arms dealer has stoked violence around the world and thwarted international sanctions. Even more appalling, they show how Bout ended up getting millions of dollars in U.S. government money to assist the war in Iraq. A truly impressive piece of investigative reporting.""
—Michael Isikoff, coauthor of The Inside Story of Spin, Scandal, and the Selling of the Iraq War ""Douglas Farah and Stephen Braun are two of the toughest investigative reporters in the country. This is an important book about a hidden world of gunrunning and profiteering in some of the world's poorest countries.""
—Steve Coll, author of Ghost The Secret History of the CIA, Afghanistan, and bin Laden, from the Soviet Invasion to September 10, 2001 ""In Merchant of Death , two of America's finest reporters have performed a major public service, turning over the right rocks that reveal the brutal international arms business at the dawn of the twenty-first century. In Viktor Bout, they have given us a new Lord of War, a man who knows no side but his own, and who has a knack for turning up in every war zone just in time to turn a profit. As Farah and Braun uncover and document his troubling role in the Bush Administration's Global War on Terror, his ties to Washington almost seem inevitable.""
—James Risen, author of State of The Secret History of the CIA and the Bush Administration ""An extraordinary and timely piece of investigative reporting, Merchant of Death is also a vividly compelling read. The true story of Viktor Bout, a sociopathic Russian gunrunner who has supplied weapons for use in some of the most gruesome conflicts of modern times--and who can count amongst his clients both the former Taliban regime in Afghanistan and the U.S. military in Iraq--is a stomach-churning indictment of the policy failures and moral contradictions of the world's most powerful governments, including that of the United States.""
—Jon Lee Anderson, author of The Fall of Baghdad Two respected journalists tell the incredible story of Viktor Bout, the Russian weapons supplier whose global network has changed the way modern warfare is fought. Bout’s vast enterprise of guns, planes, and money has fueled internecine slaughter in Africa and aided both militant Islamic fanatics in Afghanistan and the American military in Iraq. This book combines spy thrills with crucial insights on the shortcomings of a U.S. foreign policy that fails to confront the lucrative and lethal arms trade that erodes global security.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published July 1, 2007
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
May 25, 2021
"بالنسبة لتاجر سلاح، لا يوجد شيء أفضل من جنود ساخطين و مخازن مليئة بالأسلحة". وإذا استفدنا من الرياضيات الوجودية، فإن العلاقة راسخة رسوخاً عظيماً بين الحرب وانتعاش التجارة غير المشروعة للسلاح والمخدرات.
هناك أكثر من 550 مليون سلاح في أنحاء العالم، هذا يعني سلاح واحد لكل 12 شخصًا، السؤال الوحيد هو كيف نقوم بتسليح الـ11 شخصًا الآخرين؟
تلك هي كلمات نيكولاس كيج في إفتتاحية الفيلم الذي يعد من اخطر المواضيع التي ممكن ان يتعاطاها فيلم ..فكيج يلعب دور تاجر سلاح أوكراني مهمته توفير السلاح بشكل غير قانوني لكل مناطق النزاعات على الأرض مشهد الإفتتاح عنيف جدًا ستتابع فيه "رحلة رصاصة" من مكان تصنيعها إلى أن تنتهي في رأس أحد الأطفال في منطقة حرب وسط إفريقيا إفتتاحية قصيرة لكن بمغزى عميق
واحدة من أفضل إفتتاحيات الأفلام ...
الفيلم الذي يعرّي صناعة السلاح حرفياً ، والفيلم الذي لم يأخذ حقه بالشهرة للأسف .. هو أفضل أفلام نيكولاس كيج دون منازع.
لخص كل شيء عندما عندما قال للمحقق "لن تستطيع سجني لان اكبر تاجر اسلحة في العالم هو رئيسك رئيس الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية"
في نهاية فيلم lord of war،
يتوجه يوري أورلوف إلى الكاميرا بصوت مسترخي قائلا: "أتعرفون من سيرث الأرض؟". ثم يتولى الرد على نفسه: "تجار السلاح .. لأن كل شخص سيكون مشغول بقتل الآخر، هذا هو سر البقاء".
الهدف من الفيلم ليس التركيز على الشخص بقدر ما هو الشغف برسم خارطة للعنف والنزاعات في العالم. "على هذا النحو يتنقل الفيلم بين لبنان وفلسطين وسيراليون وليبيريا والبوسنة... كل من تلك البلدان تختصره أرض معركة العامل المشترك بينها هو يوري "رجل السلاح"، تقول ريما. وتلخص وجهة نظرها بشأن الفيلم بهذه العبارة: "كأن الفيلم هو توسيع للمشهد الأول للرصاصة التي تخرج من المصنع وتستقر في رأس أحدهم. أي إنه -بمعنى آخر- تفصيل لتلك الرحلة التي تقطعها الرصاصة بين مقر صناعتها ورأس ضحيتها".
هناك أكثر من 550 مليون سلاح في أنحاء العالم، هذا يعني سلاح واحد لكل 12 شخصًا، السؤال الوحيد هو كيف نقوم بتسليح الـ11 شخصًا الآخرين؟
تلك هي كلمات نيكولاس كيج في إفتتاحية الفيلم الذي يعد من اخطر المواضيع التي ممكن ان يتعاطاها فيلم ..فكيج يلعب دور تاجر سلاح أوكراني مهمته توفير السلاح بشكل غير قانوني لكل مناطق النزاعات على الأرض مشهد الإفتتاح عنيف جدًا ستتابع فيه "رحلة رصاصة" من مكان تصنيعها إلى أن تنتهي في رأس أحد الأطفال في منطقة حرب وسط إفريقيا إفتتاحية قصيرة لكن بمغزى عميق
واحدة من أفضل إفتتاحيات الأفلام ...
الفيلم الذي يعرّي صناعة السلاح حرفياً ، والفيلم الذي لم يأخذ حقه بالشهرة للأسف .. هو أفضل أفلام نيكولاس كيج دون منازع.
لخص كل شيء عندما عندما قال للمحقق "لن تستطيع سجني لان اكبر تاجر اسلحة في العالم هو رئيسك رئيس الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية"
في نهاية فيلم lord of war،
يتوجه يوري أورلوف إلى الكاميرا بصوت مسترخي قائلا: "أتعرفون من سيرث الأرض؟". ثم يتولى الرد على نفسه: "تجار السلاح .. لأن كل شخص سيكون مشغول بقتل الآخر، هذا هو سر البقاء".
الهدف من الفيلم ليس التركيز على الشخص بقدر ما هو الشغف برسم خارطة للعنف والنزاعات في العالم. "على هذا النحو يتنقل الفيلم بين لبنان وفلسطين وسيراليون وليبيريا والبوسنة... كل من تلك البلدان تختصره أرض معركة العامل المشترك بينها هو يوري "رجل السلاح"، تقول ريما. وتلخص وجهة نظرها بشأن الفيلم بهذه العبارة: "كأن الفيلم هو توسيع للمشهد الأول للرصاصة التي تخرج من المصنع وتستقر في رأس أحدهم. أي إنه -بمعنى آخر- تفصيل لتلك الرحلة التي تقطعها الرصاصة بين مقر صناعتها ورأس ضحيتها".
September 30, 2018
Lord Of War movie (Nicolas Cage) was based on this book. Fascinating story on the end of the cold war businessman/profiteer/opportunist (but what else is business? not my fault those words have negative connotations) Viktor Bout. Insightful about the global arms trade but more insightful to the post cold war end that created opportunity for slick businessmen like Bout (same as the Oligarchs). Bout filled a need for products and services to customers while disregarding international laws. Bout fit right in the wild west arms trade controlling planes and weapons that were mothballed all over the former Soviet Union nations that become suddenly available on the cheap after the USSR collapse. Equally important Bout had access to fearless Russian pilots were able to fly into areas nobody would with a "whatever, as long as I'm paid attitude" on low tech but highly durable and easily repairable Antonov prop planes. Newer higher tech planes couldn't handle the dirt runways all over africa. Read the book and watch the movie and documentary "The Notorious Mr. Bout". The book was published before the final demise of Bout: Bout was convicted by a jury at a court in Manhattan on 2 November 2011.[14] On 5 April 2012, he was sentenced to 25 years in prison, the minimum sentence for conspiring to sell weapons to a U.S.-designated foreign terrorist group.
September 5, 2016
The book has valuable information/data but is awfully written.
February 13, 2023
“Merchant of Death” by Stephen Braun and Douglas Farah is the story of Viktor Bout, the Tajik-born Russian arms dealer who was the inspiration behind the 2005 film Lord of War starring Nicholas Cage. According to Braun and Farah, Bout’s arms smuggling operation was gargantuan. Bout owned a fleet of massive Soviet cargo planes, such as 40-60 Ilyushin II-76, with a payload capacity of 40 tonnes, which he used to supply arms to warlords, dictators, and militants throughout Africa and Asia. Through numerous front companies based in Belgium, Liechtenstein, the UAE, Equatorial Guinea, the Central African Republic, and elsewhere, Bout supplied assault weapons, millions of rounds of ammunition, helicopter gunships, food and uniforms, and other supplies to any willing buyer. Some of Bout’s customers included: Charles Taylor, the warlord turned president of Liberia, the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) in Sierra Leone, Jean-Pierre Bemba’s rebels in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Jonas Savimbi’s UNITA rebels in Angola, both the Afghan government of Rabbani and the Taliban simultaneously, the Rwandan and Ugandan occupation forces in the DRC, Bosnian separatists in Yugoslavia, the FARC in Colombia, and even the US, which paid Bout’s organization $60 million to airlift supplies for US forces in Iraq. According to Braun and Farah, Bout was the only man that could deliver the supplies needed by such a diverse range of armed factions. Nobody else had access to the weapons and the delivery capabilities to airlift tonnes of arms in dense African jungles on impromptu landing strips. Everyone tolerated his duplicity and harsh temperament because he was indispensable to them.
Braun and Farah offer a fascinating portrait of a ‘Merchant of Death.’ However, the book is written like the mass-produced, poorly edited, and poorly fact-checked newspaper article that it is. The fact that Peter Bergen provides one of the recommendations of the book printed on the back testifies to this. This is not a scholarly work on the arms trade or the conditions that enabled a man like Bout to flourish in the post-Cold War era. On the contrary, this is a low-budget and sloppy Whodunit masquerading as a legitimate biography or analysis. (Perhaps that is slightly harsh, but I really have little tolerance for the dumb-down nonsense that is mass-produced for an ignorant populace to make a quick buck. Rant over.)
Braun and Farah offer a fascinating portrait of a ‘Merchant of Death.’ However, the book is written like the mass-produced, poorly edited, and poorly fact-checked newspaper article that it is. The fact that Peter Bergen provides one of the recommendations of the book printed on the back testifies to this. This is not a scholarly work on the arms trade or the conditions that enabled a man like Bout to flourish in the post-Cold War era. On the contrary, this is a low-budget and sloppy Whodunit masquerading as a legitimate biography or analysis. (Perhaps that is slightly harsh, but I really have little tolerance for the dumb-down nonsense that is mass-produced for an ignorant populace to make a quick buck. Rant over.)
February 5, 2023
"Merchant of Death: Money, Guns, Planes, and the Man Who Makes War Possible" is a book written by Douglas Farah and Stephen Braun that sheds light on the life of one of the most notorious arms dealers of our time, Viktor Bout. The authors delve into the world of arms trafficking and the shadowy figures that operate within it, focusing on Bout and his extensive network of contacts and companies. The book covers Bout's rise to prominence as an arms dealer and his involvement in various conflicts around the world, including Africa, the Balkans, and the Middle East. The authors also examine Bout's methods and motivations, including his use of false identities, his exploitation of weak and failed states, and his pursuit of personal wealth.
The book is a well-researched and well-written examination of the arms trade and its impact on the world. The authors use extensive interviews, court documents, and other sources to provide a comprehensive picture of Bout's life and activities. They also explore the larger issues surrounding the arms trade, such as the role of the United States and other countries in fueling global conflict, the complicity of the international financial system in facilitating arms trafficking, and the impact of the arms trade on human rights and stability.
Overall, "Merchant of Death" is an eye-opening and thought-provoking book that provides a unique perspective on the world of arms trafficking and its impact on global security. The authors do an excellent job of exposing the inner workings of the arms trade and the individuals and organizations that fuel it. If you are interested in international relations, global security, or the illegal arms trade, this book is definitely worth a read.
The book is a well-researched and well-written examination of the arms trade and its impact on the world. The authors use extensive interviews, court documents, and other sources to provide a comprehensive picture of Bout's life and activities. They also explore the larger issues surrounding the arms trade, such as the role of the United States and other countries in fueling global conflict, the complicity of the international financial system in facilitating arms trafficking, and the impact of the arms trade on human rights and stability.
Overall, "Merchant of Death" is an eye-opening and thought-provoking book that provides a unique perspective on the world of arms trafficking and its impact on global security. The authors do an excellent job of exposing the inner workings of the arms trade and the individuals and organizations that fuel it. If you are interested in international relations, global security, or the illegal arms trade, this book is definitely worth a read.
January 29, 2023
The subject of this non-fiction work is notorious arms trafficker Viktor Bout. Nicknamed the Merchant of Death, Bout is a relic of the Cold War who wove his old Soviet contacts into a sophisticated web of global entrepreneurial barbarism by way of air freight. The public depreciation of his reputation by intelligence officials and politicians alike didn’t deter Bout from providing weapons, ammunition, and cargo transportation to both sides of virtually every conflict on the planet for nearly three decades before his capture in 2010. Bout avoided the headlines during his imprisonment in the United States until 2022, when he once again garnered worldwide notoriety by being the subject of a controversial prisoner swap for Brittney Griner, a U.S. citizen incarcerated in Russia for drug charges.
Unfortunately, neither Bout’s capture nor his questionable release are covered in this book, as both events occurred after it was published. The reader is, however, provided with a thoroughgoing history of Bout’s arms trafficking legacy which provides context to form an opinion as to the propriety of the prisoner exchange. The flipside to this coin of information is that this book is ripe with statistics that are both monotonous and repetitious. The authors provide more than enough proof of Bout’s exploits but their presentation wistfully lacks a climax or denouement. An abridged edition with an updated storyline is left to be desired.
Unfortunately, neither Bout’s capture nor his questionable release are covered in this book, as both events occurred after it was published. The reader is, however, provided with a thoroughgoing history of Bout’s arms trafficking legacy which provides context to form an opinion as to the propriety of the prisoner exchange. The flipside to this coin of information is that this book is ripe with statistics that are both monotonous and repetitious. The authors provide more than enough proof of Bout’s exploits but their presentation wistfully lacks a climax or denouement. An abridged edition with an updated storyline is left to be desired.
April 2, 2019
Merchant of Death
was amazing for how seemingly easy it is for a smart arms merchant with skill and experience to succeed because of the lack of national and international coordination and will to bring the thug to justice. Countless deaths, including American lives and those of children, were facilitated by this unindicted criminal.
September 15, 2018
Very interesting topic but without much structure. What strikes me at times is the repetitiveness. Whole paragraphs or sentences seem to appear twice.
A good read, though, if you are interested in the topic and not too much after literary skills.
A good read, though, if you are interested in the topic and not too much after literary skills.
October 16, 2023
Interesting topics and well researched book containing infamous history. Poorly edited, overly repetitive, and not well written. Authors decided not to tell a thrilling and potentially action packed story. The book read like an odd amalgamation of news articles lacking cohesion.
August 2, 2017
This was a pretty dry read but interesting too
August 12, 2018
Rambles a bit, but interesting
October 22, 2018
In hindsight convenient scoundrels become despicable villains. Nothing new to the story
May 14, 2020
Very choppy. Writing and research is good... editor should be sent to one of the war torn countries outlined.
October 20, 2021
After many months, I finally finished this book. Bout fascinated me in 2007 and 2008. This book is a great telling of his story -- tons of research and interviews went into it. Recommended.
April 19, 2022
Interesting, but drags in places and gets confusing in places.
January 11, 2023
A must read!
Loved the details on the characters, equipment, processes, and areas of vast incompetence in organized global compliance. Would highly recommend!
Loved the details on the characters, equipment, processes, and areas of vast incompetence in organized global compliance. Would highly recommend!
January 7, 2024
Somewhat tedious and repetitive in places but the insanity of the information can’t be denied. Hard to
believe people like this exist in the world.
believe people like this exist in the world.
May 30, 2009
Packed with facts, reasonably well put together, I found Douglas Farah’s and Stephen Braun’s recounting of an arms merchants career interesting, yet not a compelling read. In fact, I could not finish the epilogue.
Now, it’s not poorly written; it’s very very dry. full of details, there is only a smattering a narrative here and there, reducing the book to a list of events, facts and historical references. That’s not a bad thing, just not my favorite read. Now, I have to admit, I learned quite a bit reading this book and I surprised myself several time with the amount of knowledge I retained as I explained what I was reading.
The subject matter itself is utterly fascinating. Victor Bout managed to put into service all of the discarded planes, weapons and pilots of the dissolved Soviet Union and turn a hefty profit. In fact he ran one of the worlds largest commercial air freight networks, shuttling everything imaginable from helicopter parts to flowers. He armed the Taliban and Al Qaeda as well as Afghanistan freedom fighters and U.S. troops. He flew peace keepers, the Red Cross and terrorists. He was utterly indiscriminate and a brutal business man who managed to keep out of the reach of international and national laws.
I guess that’s what I found disappointing in the end, with such a fascinating subject, so completely real and unbelievable, the story does not unfold. It’s as if years worth of research were dumped into a box by Farah and Braun. Then one night, over beers, they sorted out the bits to establish the minimum context. So while I give them great credit for assembling the massive amounts of information, I cannot abide their missed opportunity at churning out a compelling must-read.
Now, it’s not poorly written; it’s very very dry. full of details, there is only a smattering a narrative here and there, reducing the book to a list of events, facts and historical references. That’s not a bad thing, just not my favorite read. Now, I have to admit, I learned quite a bit reading this book and I surprised myself several time with the amount of knowledge I retained as I explained what I was reading.
The subject matter itself is utterly fascinating. Victor Bout managed to put into service all of the discarded planes, weapons and pilots of the dissolved Soviet Union and turn a hefty profit. In fact he ran one of the worlds largest commercial air freight networks, shuttling everything imaginable from helicopter parts to flowers. He armed the Taliban and Al Qaeda as well as Afghanistan freedom fighters and U.S. troops. He flew peace keepers, the Red Cross and terrorists. He was utterly indiscriminate and a brutal business man who managed to keep out of the reach of international and national laws.
I guess that’s what I found disappointing in the end, with such a fascinating subject, so completely real and unbelievable, the story does not unfold. It’s as if years worth of research were dumped into a box by Farah and Braun. Then one night, over beers, they sorted out the bits to establish the minimum context. So while I give them great credit for assembling the massive amounts of information, I cannot abide their missed opportunity at churning out a compelling must-read.
November 30, 2008
I really rate this book more like a 2.5 stars. It is very factual--both on the black market trade as well as the politics of 20-21st century Africa. This makes it a bit dry at times, but that is what the book is supposed to be. Those that are looking for the action of the Nicholas Cage movie will be disappointed.
It wasn't horrible, but I felt it was very skewed. I would have enjoyed it more except for the glaring fact that the United States was getting the majority of the blame for what Victor Bout has become. No doubt the US did a LOT of stupid things--namely hiring the man due to typical government red tape. However, I HARDLY think the US is anywhere near as responsible for him as the majority of the Western European countries. The man almost solely operated out of Belgium and Bulgaria in Europe. And considering that a lot of these African countries buying from Bout were at one time controlled by Western European powers, I feel they should have stepped up to the plate long before he even came on the radar for the US. This is the typical damned if you do, damned if you don't scenario. People don't like when the US becomes involved. People don't like when the US doesn't become involved.
Another irritating factor is the now cliched "blame it on Bush" attitude. I don't like Bush. I think he is a god-awful President. But it seems like the fashionable thing to do with any political situation is to say that Bush is at fault. The bottom line is, Bout was in heavy rotation during the Clinton administration as well. No doubt, I think the blame lies equally between the two. NEITHER of them acted appropriately.
Read the book if you want a short overview of the gun-running trade or modern-day African history. But take the rest with a grain of salt.
It wasn't horrible, but I felt it was very skewed. I would have enjoyed it more except for the glaring fact that the United States was getting the majority of the blame for what Victor Bout has become. No doubt the US did a LOT of stupid things--namely hiring the man due to typical government red tape. However, I HARDLY think the US is anywhere near as responsible for him as the majority of the Western European countries. The man almost solely operated out of Belgium and Bulgaria in Europe. And considering that a lot of these African countries buying from Bout were at one time controlled by Western European powers, I feel they should have stepped up to the plate long before he even came on the radar for the US. This is the typical damned if you do, damned if you don't scenario. People don't like when the US becomes involved. People don't like when the US doesn't become involved.
Another irritating factor is the now cliched "blame it on Bush" attitude. I don't like Bush. I think he is a god-awful President. But it seems like the fashionable thing to do with any political situation is to say that Bush is at fault. The bottom line is, Bout was in heavy rotation during the Clinton administration as well. No doubt, I think the blame lies equally between the two. NEITHER of them acted appropriately.
Read the book if you want a short overview of the gun-running trade or modern-day African history. But take the rest with a grain of salt.
January 2, 2009
This book is a careful documentation of the world (mostly US) governmental pursuit of Viktor Bout over the last 10 years. It's not for everyone -- it reads more as a compilation of events than as a story, and is very detailed. But the authors have put some effort into making it readable, and the story itself is fascinating.
Viktor Bout is the head of an international flight organization, which has been used by most major dictators and terrorists as a vehicle for arms transport. When the Soviet Union dissolved, Bout (a former member of the Soviet military) bought up a number of unused planes, and began to arrange cargoes for them, expanding steadily as his customers discovered that he was completely reliable and totally amoral. He has shipped arms to the Taliban, South Africa, and Charles Taylor in Liberia, but has also taken contracts to ship supplies to the US troops in Iraq and relief shipments to Indonesia after the tsunami. His success seems to come from an absolute focus on profit, an excellent business sense, extreme paranoia and privacy, and possibly connections with the Russian ex-KGB organizations.
Bout was recently arrested in Thailand via a US sting (US agents posed as representatives of FARC), but the book was released before that, when he was still at large. And, as the authors point out, Bout was actually given US contracts to fly for the military (mostly through Haliburton, it seems -- anyone surprised?), so the US is as reluctant as every other government to take him down -- we'll see how long he stays caught. Extradition process is ongoing.
Viktor Bout is the head of an international flight organization, which has been used by most major dictators and terrorists as a vehicle for arms transport. When the Soviet Union dissolved, Bout (a former member of the Soviet military) bought up a number of unused planes, and began to arrange cargoes for them, expanding steadily as his customers discovered that he was completely reliable and totally amoral. He has shipped arms to the Taliban, South Africa, and Charles Taylor in Liberia, but has also taken contracts to ship supplies to the US troops in Iraq and relief shipments to Indonesia after the tsunami. His success seems to come from an absolute focus on profit, an excellent business sense, extreme paranoia and privacy, and possibly connections with the Russian ex-KGB organizations.
Bout was recently arrested in Thailand via a US sting (US agents posed as representatives of FARC), but the book was released before that, when he was still at large. And, as the authors point out, Bout was actually given US contracts to fly for the military (mostly through Haliburton, it seems -- anyone surprised?), so the US is as reluctant as every other government to take him down -- we'll see how long he stays caught. Extradition process is ongoing.
November 16, 2010
Viktor Bout is really amazing. This guy was quietly running guns and weaponry to pretty much every third-tier petty dictator in Africa, helped arm both the Taliban and warlords like the Lion of Panjshir in Afghanistan--all the while shipping legitimate goods like chickens, flowers, and fruits. He even managed to wrangle a few government contracts shipping supplies into Iraq for the U.S. It seems that every country condemns illegal arms trades, but only a few take consistent action on it, and there are plenty of countries with such slipshod regulation that they simple can't police what flies in. Bout managed to slip through these regulatory cracks time and again.
I'm giving this book four stars, rather than five, because the story is amazing but it's told rather dryly. The authors have done tons of reporting and seem to want to put it all on display. But it's difficult to keep straight the hundreds of names and sources, and what's really missing from this story is narrative. There's a giant black hole at the center of the book where Bout's personality, motivations, and story arc should be. This is obviously a difficulty because Bout never consented to be interviewed for this book. You get the impression that Bout is a bad guy who had his fingers in way too many dirty, dirty pies. But you don't really know why, and you don't really have a sense of what it takes to be the type of person who can arm Hutu militiamen, get cozy with despot Robert Taylor, and live with himself.
I'm giving this book four stars, rather than five, because the story is amazing but it's told rather dryly. The authors have done tons of reporting and seem to want to put it all on display. But it's difficult to keep straight the hundreds of names and sources, and what's really missing from this story is narrative. There's a giant black hole at the center of the book where Bout's personality, motivations, and story arc should be. This is obviously a difficulty because Bout never consented to be interviewed for this book. You get the impression that Bout is a bad guy who had his fingers in way too many dirty, dirty pies. But you don't really know why, and you don't really have a sense of what it takes to be the type of person who can arm Hutu militiamen, get cozy with despot Robert Taylor, and live with himself.
May 2, 2008
I became interested in Viktor Bout, the subject of this account by two journalists, after he was arrested in March of this year in Thailand. For years, he has provided excess Soviet arms to all sides of various conflicts in Africa and the middle east. The book points out the failings of national governments and international organizations to stop him. Clearly what he did was immoral, but it was hard to really call it illegal. I have since read the NYT Magazine interview with him that was published in the early 2000s at a time when we seemed powerless to stop him and found that fascinating as well. The writing in this book is a bit scattered, so it's hard to get a clear picture of what went on, but that may be because of the real paucity of proof/information. I found it very relevant to the work I did at the State Department in attempting to sanction individuals involved in the proliferation of items listed on the various multilateral control regimes, including the Waasenaar Arrangement which covers conventional arms. And also very interesting because of my background in Russian studies and the conundrums we face in our post-Cold War relations with Russia. Not for everyone, but if you share any of those interests of mine just stated, it is certainly worth reading. I did note in Wikipedia's entry on Viktor Bout that he is supposedly the model for Nicholas Cage's character in Lord of War and that some question the authorities and bias of these authors.
August 1, 2009
I wish there were half stars because this should really be 3.5 and is a recommended read. Story of Viktor Bout really interesting, but at the time the book was written there was still not a lot known about the man - just his business - and that detracts from the book. The story can sometimes be repetitive, too and it just doesn't always come together. He's since been arrested, which the book doesn't quite get there, but it does document the US's sporadic involvement in tracking Bout down. It is worth the read though, for an explanation of how he built this business, why the Russians are scary, and how these trasnational threats spring up and are very hard to track. The best part of the book, though is the explanation of how Bout - a KNOWN ARMS DEALER AND ARMS EMBARGO BUSTER - ended up running supplies into and out of Iraq for the US military. This is a guy who supplied the Taliban and Charles Taylor, and the US knew it, knew he was subcontracting to folks like KBR, and still allowed it to happen. And even after Sept 11, gov't agencies critical to American defense were reluctant to work together to stop American taxpayer dollars to going to this man. Also gets bonus points for being a relatively quick read, despite the heft of the subject.
July 24, 2011
Ever wonder where those guns that them boys down the corner have come from? Or where those AK47's that the guards at the bank carry, or the M16s that local bodyguards sling around? Ooops, sorry, if you are in the States this is probably not a concern. But for third world countries, ask again...Local headline: "Stash of AK47s and ammo headed to Colombia's FARC'" Huh? Honduras exporting Russian made kalashnikovs? But even if you happen to hear shots in the night and wonder about guns in general, this book is for you. If these issues do not interest you then do not read this book because I can easily see you banging you head against a wall or shooting your bra<(&^^WINDOWS UNEXPECTED SHUTDOWN(#)(*)#*)_#$_#$......
Victor Bout has nothing to do with current Honduran gun running but the details of stories told by Braun and Farah of African gun running are engaging and only enjoyed if you do some research on West and Central African conflicts yourself. This is great journalism with a story behind it. SPOILER ALERT AHEAD>>> Victor was arrested in Bangkok last year and waiting trial which is suppose to happen sometime this month (2/09). A great story to follow in the upcoming months.
Victor Bout has nothing to do with current Honduran gun running but the details of stories told by Braun and Farah of African gun running are engaging and only enjoyed if you do some research on West and Central African conflicts yourself. This is great journalism with a story behind it. SPOILER ALERT AHEAD>>> Victor was arrested in Bangkok last year and waiting trial which is suppose to happen sometime this month (2/09). A great story to follow in the upcoming months.
November 17, 2011
Really only for those with more than a passing interest in the subject. Shows the workings of international intelligence and criminal smuggling as extremely complex - writing is utilitarian in order to keep up with such complicated webs (could have used a map or two).
(Scary thing is how it shows yet another example of the Bush administrations bungling and, ultimately, complicity in Viktor Bout's empire. Might have been an unintended subtext but the author points out how the Clinton administrations steps towards catching this man - who armed Taliban and various African dictators - were thwarted when the Bush administration "cleaned house" with all of Clinton's advisors, basically erasing years of work towards stopping this man. And then it turns out in 2002-2003 when we needed weapons and transport into Baghdad for the Iraq war, who did we turn to? Viktor Bout. A prime example of unrestricted capitalism [Bout is, above all else, a Machiavellian businessman.] being a dangerous thing, and the ineptitude of the Bush administration regarding any sort of "intelligence." Deregulate indeed.)
(Scary thing is how it shows yet another example of the Bush administrations bungling and, ultimately, complicity in Viktor Bout's empire. Might have been an unintended subtext but the author points out how the Clinton administrations steps towards catching this man - who armed Taliban and various African dictators - were thwarted when the Bush administration "cleaned house" with all of Clinton's advisors, basically erasing years of work towards stopping this man. And then it turns out in 2002-2003 when we needed weapons and transport into Baghdad for the Iraq war, who did we turn to? Viktor Bout. A prime example of unrestricted capitalism [Bout is, above all else, a Machiavellian businessman.] being a dangerous thing, and the ineptitude of the Bush administration regarding any sort of "intelligence." Deregulate indeed.)
July 6, 2017
A very important that details in general the rise of Russian business/crime oligarchs specifically one Viktor Bout. After the fall of the Soviet Union Mr. Bout leveraged his intelligence and military backgrounds to snatch up decrepit transport planes and connect them with out of work munitions factories, creating a worldwide network of arms trafficking. Many of the fratricidal wars in West/Central African have used weapons delivered by Bout's network.
While it is important to document the atrocities committed for greed this book is actually a painful read. The authors are both journalists and the book itself feels like a long string of newspaper articles tied together. The time line skips around in disconcerting ways and personas pop up and disappear with regularity. Still, give it a read.
While it is important to document the atrocities committed for greed this book is actually a painful read. The authors are both journalists and the book itself feels like a long string of newspaper articles tied together. The time line skips around in disconcerting ways and personas pop up and disappear with regularity. Still, give it a read.
May 28, 2008
The Nicholas Cage movie Lord of War, which I thoroughly enjoyed, was based on this book. Here, the writing was clunky and overly fact driven, like an extended newspaper article. I even skimmed the final third of the book. But I give it three stars because it tackles an issue that is the root cause of so many other issues that our media gives prominence: the war on terror; a nuclear Iran; poverty in Africa; the drug trade. The book details the rise of one of the most powerful men perpetuating all of these issues, and it is a man whose name you have never heard, and it is a man who our own country has paid as a private contractor in Iraq. Viktor Bout is ultimately a business man (albeit an amoral one), and ha has managed to fly under the radar supplying the world's bad guys with weapons.
October 11, 2008
This is a fantastic, albeit academic, book about Viktor Bout, the notorious international arms trafficker. The book also serves as a timely prologue to Bout's detainment in March 2008, an event that will likely be addressed in subsequent versions/publications of the book. Farah keeps the material interesting in his journalistic approach, yet also stays objective in not offering a condemnation of Bout, only raising questions and examining the evidence. In fact, while reading the book, I couldn't help but think, "Bout was one heck of a businessman." In all, the book is a solid character study of Bout, an interesting insight into arms trafficking, and a fair examination of the failure of Western Intelligence agencies to stop his activities.
October 31, 2013
Interesting coincidence that Viktor Bout was sentenced while I was in the middle of reading this book. Watching the story of his sentencing on the news made me realize all the more that what I was reading was not just a tale about one of the world's most notorious arms dealer - but a tragic true story. Viktor was sentenced to 25 years in prison (the minimum sentence)for conspiring to sell weapons to a U.S. designated foreign terrorist group.
The book is a page-turner that digs deep into the amazing, murky story of Viktor bout and exposes the inner workings of one of the world's most secretive businesses - the international arms trade.
The book is a page-turner that digs deep into the amazing, murky story of Viktor bout and exposes the inner workings of one of the world's most secretive businesses - the international arms trade.
May 20, 2008
It's a relatively scholarly treatment, which is making it a bit dry to get through, but as a factual companion to Lord of War (Nicolas Cage's character was inspired by Viktor Bout, the subject of this book), it's very informative.
Perhaps the most interesting thing is how it shines a light on the law of unintended consequences: victory in the Cold War--the fall of the Soviet Union--made Bout passible. In turn, he made possible much of the chaos in Africa in the last 15 to 20 years, not to mention playing a part in arming the Taliban and most likely al Qaeda.
Perhaps the most interesting thing is how it shines a light on the law of unintended consequences: victory in the Cold War--the fall of the Soviet Union--made Bout passible. In turn, he made possible much of the chaos in Africa in the last 15 to 20 years, not to mention playing a part in arming the Taliban and most likely al Qaeda.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews