US seeks to protect weapons trafficker (Victor Bout)

The US is pressing for a notorious arms trafficker allegedly involved in supplying coalition forces in Iraq to be omitted from planned United Nations sanctions, in defiance of French demands.

Washington has UK support in resisting French efforts to freeze the assets of Victor Bout, once described by a UK minister as a "merchant of death" for his role as a leading arms supplier to rebel and government forces in several African conflicts, including Liberia.

The UN is considering who should be on a list of individuals whose assets will be frozen because of their involvement with the ousted regime of Charles Taylor, the Liberian leader overthrown last year.

Western diplomats say they have been told of reports that an air freight company associated with Mr Bout, who is subject to a UN travel ban because of his activities in Liberia, may be involved in supplying US forces in Iraq and that the US may be "recycling" his extensive cargo network.

http://news.ft.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=FT.com/StoryFT/FullStory&c=StoryFT&cid=1083180541131&p=1012571727085

(one of the many ironies being that Bout was accused of selling arms to the Taliban, al-Qaeda & Iraq before 9-11.)

see http://www.publicintegrity.org/bow/report.aspx?aid=157 & http://www.ruudleeuw.com/vbout00.htm for more on Bout

And remember, we are not hypocrites, liars, or war-mongers while you're at it!