“Personified Weapon of Mass Destruction”: Ex-Arms Trafficking Inspector on Freed Russian Viktor Bout

Brittney Griner’s release from Russia has brought renewed attention to the notorious Russian arms dealer whom the U.S. exchanged for the basketball star in a prisoner swap. Viktor Bout, the former Soviet military officer who became known as the “Merchant of Death,” was serving a 25-year prison sentence in the United States for conspiracy to commit terrorism. Authorities say Viktor Bout was involved in trafficking arms to dictators and stoking conflicts in Africa, South America and the Middle East. He has also been accused of furnishing weapons to al-Qaeda and the Taliban, and achieved particular notoriety for selling arms in Rwanda in 1998, just four years after the Rwandan genocide. Kathi Lynn Austin, a former U.N. arms trafficking investigator, says that while Griner’s release is cause for celebration, “it is such a difficult time for those of us who are aware of how Viktor Bout can be easily deployed” in conflict zones. “He is a personified weapon of mass destruction, and he has always proven himself ready, willing and able,” says Austin.
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[@eziodeldegan414]

the merchants of death should also include the US military complex

[@mactown91210]

Facts. They don’t wanna talk about that though. Damn Merica

[@user-in4mp2jz4g]

God cannot put himself on a trial - He is too powerful to be properly prosecuted by his own hands 🙌.

[@chrispokorney6801]

@@mactown91210 Damn You

[@tomasdelgado2169]

Add CIA AND FBI

[@danifranc7011]

Yessss

[@stevejoseph4514]

you know who sells more weapons than viktor bout? The USA

[@joshualaborde3530]

ABSOLUTELY

[@sheilayungk7562]

You know it!!!!

[@HLarsen0697]

He's a competitor man... he must be eliminated.. hehehe

[@outbackunderworld2004]

The way I look at it people start the wars weapons dealers just simply utilize other people's conflicts as a way to make money the problem most of them have with this guy is for one he's competition and two he has no loyalty to anyone he would cell weapons to the United States if we asked him to I mean if the guy was selling knock off weapons that jammed or didn't work or something like that okay we have an understanding but if he's selling working weapons it just comes down to did you spend enough money did you buy the biggest stick in the yard did you buy the most sticks in the yard is he making money off of death and misery yes of course he is but so is every other weapons manufacturer who sells weapons to the military in every country they know their weapons are going to be used to kill people that's the name of the game

[@kumboahmed3992]

No doubt about that. They just got competition with Viktor Bout. Ha!

[@nerdlarge4691]

Notice the UN Lady kept deflecting when Amy brought up Bout’s ties to the US Government.

[@theciakilledjfk5973]

Her lines are rehearsed and I don't find her to be in good faith. This guy was a fairly low level arms dealer. You could probably knock on a random door in suburban Virginia and have a good chance of finding a bigger arms dealer than Viktor Bout.

[@AsmarinosNagi]

Mrs Kathi Lynn isn't telling what exactly the public wants to hear...

[@erwin643]

@@theciakilledjfk5973 Plus, she doesn't put any emphasis on the fact that the U.S. had the nerve to set him up with a sting in Thailand, after he had assisted the U.S. war efforts in Iraq by supplying arms to the Iraqi army.

[@thetdchannel]

Not only did she keep dodging real questions…she flat out lied and showed she has absolutely no clue as to the real status of Russia’s military. Second, she says the sanctions are “CRIPPLING” Putin when the global financial infrastructure with China is moving right along. This is the problem, smart dumb people like Ms. Austin get the interviews. Finally, the quotes read out from the two judges saying Victor Bout served enough time….don’t think for a second those judges did not get a phone call that urged them to make a statement to help the WH spin doctors.

[@cw9533]

🤫 🤫

[@Dawgcatcher2728]

Hypocrisy reigns with great power rivalry. Arm the politicians and send them to war.

[@octaviogomora7884]

There "too valuable" to sacrifice. According to them.

[@kyrkwalters964]

For real

[@mychannel3774]

..or their military aged children. Won’t be so quick to send others’ forth in order to gain a few election points if you’ve got some skin in the game… Maybe, there should also be a random ‘decimation’ where 10% of all those who vote for military action are sent to the front lines. That’ll give them pause for thought. Finally, politicians and anyone above the rank of captain should be barred from financially benefitting from any military contracts for the next 5 generations. War is only ‘sexy’ on TV, on the silver screen and in these criminally insane social climbing legislators’ fever dreams…

[@briangrigsby1842]

remember Agnew was an arms dealer. They are never going to do anything about this problem it has gone on forever. Our country is hopelessly corrupt.

[@NicThatOneKid]

Pretty much , I think a lot of people are just surprised by the trade . For a basketball 🏀 player 😂😂😂 woof !!!

[@mikeferrini8884]

"..and for the US to be proactive in preventing illicit global arms trafficking. That is what I am hoping will come about from the release of Viktor Bout." ~ Kathi Lynn Austin - UN Arms Trafficking Investigator. How about we start with the United States arms trafficking Kathi??

[@erwin643]

Lol. Not happening.

[@anslogarrick7638]

I believe it was a Trojan horse a very subtle technique to test the international reputation of the Kremlin to see what their value is and what they view as valuable remember they have hundreds of years of experience in the Kremlin fell into it but they don’t care apparently

[@michaelmaya7742]

I agree 👍💯!

[@mariontamiko6547]

And who //where those US arms coming from?????

[@michaelmaya7742]

@@mariontamiko6547 from a different multi-verse Marion or but I'd say from the Military Industrial Complex!

[@user-in4mp2jz4g]

So USA is not trafficking arms? Please Democracy, tell me, who is delivering weapons to Kurds in Syria and Iraq?

[@NotShowingOff]

This is a political game. This isn’t selling cars

[@isokabooks3758]

Kathi believes America only has good guys. From UN to US and its vassal allies.

[@jerichosa5733]

probably viktor bout 🤣🤣🤣

[@giselameunier3845]

and Ukraine

[@michaelmaya7742]

@@giselameunier3845 exactly 💯!

[@isao5257]

aside from her phony smile, her use of the phrase "weapon of mass destruction" and failure to address Amy's question about Viktor Bout's connection with the u.s. government (Bush/Cheney era) and weapon industry should be an alert for her credibility as a "human right investigator". also, didn't she notice that everything she said about Viktor Bout applies to what the u.s. has been doing as a weapon dealer to all kinds of bad actors in the world?

[@hamishgaffaney5323]

Well if the US wants remain the world's number 1 weapons supplier, they need people supplying weapons to the other side, I just amazed the US dosnt have any Russian spies they trade for that other American guy been held in Russian jail

[@janee9169]

EXACTLY what I came here to say. I mean, really??? Thank you for saying it so well!

[@Cheryl64014]

Agree 100%.

[@stephensampson9208]

Alot of english arms dealers ..too ..

[@Ryudo916]

All these "human rights" orgs are fronts for American imperialism. The directors have been confronted before why they don't expose American crimes and their response is "America's not that bad, it has freedom"

[@randyrodriguezvelasquez7221]

America.if the biggest weapon dealer in the world. Did you see how she talked about the Americans paying him.

[@michaelcudjoe9127]

She is being wicked witch as US system

[@greggasiorowski1326]

She is a despicable tool, so painful hearing her spout nonsense.

[@tonelouielouie9581]

Yeah,and she glossed over it real quick.🤣🤣🤣

[@db5823]

Wait wait wait ... this guy was a sub-contractor under one of Dick Cheney's corporations?!

[@tonelouielouie9581]

Yep!!!! And I can't wait for someone to ask Liz about her dad,cause his ass is already gone into hiding🤣🤣.

[@ClownCarCoup]

Why in the world would Russia want him freed? 😬

[@jackuoff24]

Watch the movie Lord of war. It’s about him

[@thechi2848]

Well considering Rytheon, Lockheed Martin, Dyncorp, Boeing sells more weapons making him seem like he's the only one Is misleading.

[@aaronaarons1917]

He was only a bit player.

[@Surferdude101]

It seems as if arms and weapons were moving just fine when he was in jail there must be plenty of other people doing the same job

[@abeninan4017]

Money laundering too.

[@gabrieltreewolf4618]

Lol your so right!!

[@InterestedCitizen]

Exactly! Others filled his shoes easily. And besides, I wouldn't doubt he was able to move arms right from his cell, the same way higher up drug dealers do. I don't really know though.

[@bowerbird7463]

Of course, most of them originate in US. Amazing how AmericA whitewashes itself, continually…

[@bama_b3019]

Facts!

[@deanmcinerney2324]

She deflects Cheneys relationship like it didnt happen... LOL

[@BCSTS]

Yes....this is very scary re Ukra8ne etc.....but you never explained why USA pays people like this.....and wonders why he can later be seen as so dangerous....hypocracy is palpable !

[@eastern2western]

What your boss, the usa, sells in one day is more than what I can sell in a year. However, your boss some times can not show his face in special sales and that is when I come in. Greatest final statement of a great movie.

[@ceaseless246]

“the us deals it’s arms through legal channels” lmfao

[@myownlilbubble]

And the Afghans thanked the US mitary for their legitimately abandoned arms supplies and helicopters...😂🤣🤣

[@htopherollem649]

though not considered "weapons of war " let us ask Mexico where the guns that are used by narco gangs come from.

[@buravan1512]

Legal channel? What's the definition of that? We don't know what they mean by that.

[@Jose-sy1je]

Why do they always invite these people? The question was that has been paid millions. But she just ignored that

[@thompsonnoel]

It's important to invite these people because they are in positions of power and Amy just went hard. I think she was expecting an easy interview talking about how evil he is.

[@Muramasa1794]

The greatest trade in WNBA history

[@davidsalcido383]

“Brittney: AmeriKKKan junkies always were ‘entrapped’ by AmeriKKKa-The-Terrible?!

[@user-in4mp2jz4g]

Do you believe it was only a trade one to one? I bet there is a secret ship filled up with all kind of goodies from Russia being unloaded now in Corpus Christi to balance the “best WNBA trade off” …

[@joshualaborde3530]

LMFAO🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@davidsalcido383]

A Russians 🇷🇺 trade of a 7’4” WNBA tattood tótem pole lesbian for Victor Bout one of WAR CRIMINAL AmeriKKKa’s biggest competitor’s in the sale of WMD’s to Terrorists World 🌎 wide brings joy to sleepy 😴 Jose Biden’s crack negotiator teams?! Mamamia what a deal! 💀😴💀🤷‍♀️💀💩🧻💩🧻🦠💉🦠💉🦠

[@dinobotpwnz]

How does someone working for the UN say "the enemy we were fighting at the time" with a straight face?

[@AndrewTate2Prison]

What's wrong with liberation forces in Iraq having weapons?

[@briangrigsby1842]

Viktor is almost as bad as Cheney the war criminal.

[@valentinogeorgievski]

Not even close...

[@mikeshultz1007]

Viktor Bout has done nothing wrong.

[@lawrenceosh]

Blame your government. Biden orchestrated it and not Russia. He picked Griner to please the LGBTQ community, not because she's black, but because she's gay. If it's a heterosexual black man, they wouldn't care. They left Marine behind and picked Griner, sentenced to a few months in jail.

[@tuckerbugeater]

@@valentinogeorgievski does it matter which one is worse?

[@valentinogeorgievski]

@@tuckerbugeater Of course it matters, it is not even comparable how much worse Cheney isl and he wasn't even prosecuted. Establishment media constantly brainwashed people got short memories. Who was prosecuted about the Guatanamo Bay. Nobody This Russian dealer did not torcher people, but the establishment media make him look worse than all these mega criminals. Bush is more adored than ever, and never prosecuted. People are so brainwashed, and they still trust the 911 officials story!? 90% of the killed by the Obama drones where innocent civilians. Not in jail, he is admired like he is a hero. The war criminals used to be hanged in Nuerberg and almost all of the American presidents after the second World War should have been at list prosecuted according to international law. The world was always ruled by empires, and so they behave as they please and obviously nothing can be done to change this reality .Democracy my ass!

[@pernilsson9749]

Saw this "tracking women". Have she and her organisation tracked were the western guns and ammos sent to ucraine gone further out of ucraine yet?

[@user-dk2dp7xi4c]

Good questions Amy. Next time call out her answers as deflecting and covering up US corruption.

[@mykolfornasero3631]

brilliant trade.... now we have a ball player and there's a mass murderer free'd.. wtf is wrong with this place?

[@davidsalcido383]

NATO 🇺🇸🇬🇧🇫🇷🇩🇪 Hooligans in (((stampede)) to recruit Victor Borg as WMD super salesman for Raytheon, McDonald-Douglas and Pentagon ‘Special Operations’ Chinese 🇨🇳 and Vladimir Putin’s Sukhoi division in Syria 🇸🇾 and perhaps even Israel’s Genocidal Mossad scoundrels, Da! 🇺🇸🇬🇧🇹🇩🇺🇦💀🔯🕎☯️☢️⚛️🔯☸️☢️♒️♌️🛐☢️

[@williambrown6889]

Remember this is the guy who straight up says " I don't just leave, no, when I leave I expect to be paid I'm no fool just because they need me today doesn't mean they won't use me as their scapegoat tomorrow" talk about manifesting your future there bud

[@rayh8570]

Cheers to DM. See the film "Lord of War" (2005). A clear reflection of truth. "In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists, and will persist." Eisenhower

[@da9618]

Yeah, I remember that movie

[@ceaseless246]

not a documentary

[@penhdog2207]

I disagree, it's good in some ways but was also used to demonize Bout and pretend that it's those evil Russians that are the problem. It was a big factor in poisoning the name of Bout before his trial making a guilty verdict impossible.

[@Benjy1]

Lol we traded this guy for a basketball player but there has been a marine in Russian prison since 2018 and they just left his ass there.

[@sunshinesunshine4563]

May be this is the same way while the warmongers Western regime Jailing this innocent man Julian Assange, but let the rapist Prince Andrew free. Free Julian Assange now.

[@ivreiceman20257]

We got back a basketball player of no use to the Russians for a well connected under the table weapons dealer

[@lawrenceosh]

Blame your government. Biden orchestrated it and not Russia. He picked Griner to please the LGBTQ community, not because she's black, but because she's gay. If it's a heterosexual black man, they wouldn't care. They left Marine behind and picked Griner, sentenced to a few months in jail.

[@buckdaman8493]

Yeah but ultimately all this stuff was being allowed to happen with or without this guy .

[@chukwumaoriuwa281]

Ms Austin, you are an expert in nothing that we dont know

[@hondarally300l8]

He should have applied for a job at the CIA

[@helenpatterson3858]

....sub contractor so......

[@jamilablake5315]

😂😂😂

[@afterthoughtsofsolitude280]

Applied? He's already on the payroll.😂

[@acebaker3623]

What's the difference between this man and Haliburton?

[@queenredspecial]

Haliburton is far, far, far more prolific.

[@sierravista9013]

OMG the US does the same thing

[@Chris-ou2zp]

She dodging she question shows she can't be trusted to tell the truth or she just scared of saying the wrong thing

[@dannycbe949]

Paul Whelan left in the cold..

[@rogbrogb5341]

Releasing Julian Assange could have improved the image of of both Putin and Biden. Merchant of Death is more important. Sick.

[@davidsalcido383]

“Another perfectly innocent AmeriKKKan spy is arrested by jealous terrorists wanting to take away CIA’s Boy Scout image? Gasp! Go talk to ex-CIA Director and his delightful image. We lied 🤥, We Cheated 🤥, We Stole 🤥!”

[@thompsonnoel]

That was an incredible interview! Congratulations Amy! I don't think that woman knew what she was getting into when she booked the interview

[@armandoromero5661]

Kathi do Not brush off that the US was a patron of his services

[@aaronaarons1917]

I'd rather have Viktor Bout deciding who gets arms than the CIA and the U.S. ruling class.

[@sethalexander3164]

Fast and FURIOUS was a 🍑

[@theciakilledjfk5973]

For real. Viktor never ratted out his homies. Stand up guy.

[@tuckerbugeater]

@@theciakilledjfk5973 Israel killed JFK and the CIA helped.

[@cfmpam498230]

It reminds me of the story of the King & the Pirate . They do the same thing, but only the king can do it under the law !!! But I wouldn't be surprised if he is eliminated in short order !!!

[@user-in4mp2jz4g]

Who is the biggest beneficiary in the word for selling arms? Chinese, Russians? 😅

[@suzyqualcast6269]

Pirates of olde formed the nucleus for the Royal Navy under the King at that time.

[@dehsa38]

How do you think Zelenski feels about that trade?

[@coin9007]

😂😂😂😂waiting for his press conference 😂😂😂

[@joshualaborde3530]

LOL

[@mamiegraziano9737]

Zelensky will have another buyer for the USA weapons to be sold to, so he and the Ukraine Oligarchy can pay for their mansions in Switzerland

[@mamiegraziano9737]

You do know that 70% of weapons sent to Ukraine are sold on the black market, and never get to the front line. CBS was going to air it's investigation on this, and it was pulled last minute. Censorship in the USA!

[@harrierr628]

Find out in the next episode of Zelensky Tiktok video.

[@utterlyviolet]

Thank you for not glossing over this man being released.

[@ivreiceman20257]

American companies that build weapons don't want any competition

[@user-in4mp2jz4g]

Hey ladies, Bout was selling weapons of mass destruction? What are you smoking in studio please, I would like to try it too! 😂

[@valentinogeorgievski]

They would probably make more sense if they smoked something.

[@karenburrows9184]

I think she said he WAS a weapon of mass destruction.

[@user-in4mp2jz4g]

@@karenburrows9184 is it some sort of terminology from Marvel Studios? What language does she use: legal, IT, HR, sociology or made up language for dummies to confuse all people around?

[@karenburrows9184]

@@user-in4mp2jz4g I don't think she's very good at explaining herself verbally; as a native English speaker, she uses too many buzzwords and inappropriate metaphors. So I guess you could say all of the above?

[@bapam2]

Hypocrisy at its finest

[@Juan-ud3if]

The Arms dealer's should be kept in jail wherever their from until the Invasions,and endless, proxy wars end. If he'd been working for America he would'nt even have been arrested. America will use him again.

[@etherico3041]

The same people who are trying to take guns away (more than likely cause their about to violate their own citizens at some point because the 2A says shall not be infringed yet that’s exactly that they are doing) traded a weapons dealer for a fing wnba player who brought a dab pen to one of the most ruthless unforgiving countries. Now if this was the wnba the United States definitely lost that trade. I can’t wait for this unsustainable system to fall so we can restart

[@Dima-px6pr]

Viktor bout is hero in Russia in 1995 he rescued Russian pilots from Taliban Captivity, welcome home viktor

[@Juan-ud3if]

Keep the truth alive and kicking.❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@RR-kz4hq]

They could have gotten griner back without a swap if they really wanted to.

[@lawrenceosh]

Blame your government. Biden orchestrated it and not Russia. He picked Griner to please the LGBTQ community, not because she's black, but because she's gay. If it's a heterosexual black man, they wouldn't care. They left Marine behind and picked Griner, sentenced to a few months in jail.

[@JuanTorres-yi1hr]

In a time of war, Putin picked a # 1 draft pick

[@greggasiorowski1326]

Arms Trafficking Inspector: Just how many of those are in the US Pentagon??? 🤣

[@KevinDorival]

This dude was probably the highest ranking prisoner and we let him go to free Britney Griner? This is ridiculous. So that he can sell more MP5's and grenade launchers to dictators. Great.

[@errolvanzie4765]

This lady went home and cried

[@jeffhicks8428]

Before or after she cashed her state department check?

[@puhelimentili805]

Americans clutching their pearls about weapon traffickers has to be the most hilarious thing ever 🤣😂😂 Seriously, what a lack of self-awareness

[@jeffhicks8428]

Lack of self awareness is a core defining trait of this country. We call yourself "land of the free" with a straight face and have 600% the prisoner rate of China.

[@allen2634]

Griner was hardly a pawn. She had drugs they're illegal in Russia she got caught she went to jail. She broke the law.

[@suzyqualcast6269]

Didn't Russia follow 🇺🇸 with draconian crackdown on a 🌿, maybe they'll now ease up in mirror fashion although the message from the disunited States is somewhat confusing.

[@allen2634]

@The Jaded Libra Guy yeah good friend of my uncle went to Florida and he got shot dead too

[@allen2634]

@A B oh and that's legal in Russia? Who's the dummy now? When you're in Russia obey Russian law.

[@InterestedCitizen]

Thank you for this informative clip. It helps many of us to learn and understand about this situation. A question: was Mr. Bout in any way engaged with Canada?

[@gnomechomsky2524]

He was a notorious poutine dealer

[@ashbreva]

@@gnomechomsky2524 😆

[@catherinekasmer9905]

Releasing such a dangerous person is truly terrifying.

[@thechi2848]

Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Dyncorp, Rytheon either one of these dangerous companies probably sold him the weapons. He's no more dangerous than those companies I listed.

[@Magic818100]

You know that is true about this guy from Russia but you know what he's right in a sense we have so more weapons to any other country look what's happening in Yemen look what's happening in all the Continental Africa. Shouldn't these people in America should be put in jail also I mean we've done the same thing and nobody wants to talk about it

[@user-in4mp2jz4g]

Life is a terrible thing indeed. Every time I open the front door and step outside, I am terrified. Now I feel Your pain too about Bouts release! Who knows, perhaps this guy right now waits for me outside with a bag filled up with weapons of mass destruction! 🫣

[@blackdiamond306]

@@user-in4mp2jz4g 🥵

[@enclavesoldier769]

@@Magic818100 That’s not what he means. Saying just cause we do it makes it fine that they do it to justify this deal is ignorant. Both America and Russia are culpable for their crimes, but are we seriously saying it’s okay to trade a man that will likely cause thousands more deaths for a single harmless person? How many more Ukrainians or other people in the world are going to suffer now that criminals and tyrants can get their weapons?

[@josphatnjenga9151]

He aged so much in 12 years

[@jackiejones2142]

The U.S. hands are just as bloody, as the U.S. used his talent as well. There's enough dirt to go around.

[@rverasart]

this woman is as guilty for mass murder as viktor bout, the difference is she defends US monopoly on arms dealing

[@markcampbell7577]

We have allowed in this country the ownership of chemical weapons nuclear weapons and biological weapons contrary to Treaties instituted by scientists to initiate survival and ratified by Congress to address global warming and global atmosphere ionization and infertility.

[@Brock1925]

Mr. Bout was all about making a profit. Sounds identical to the goals of the MIC.

[@ravindertalwar553]

THANKS FOR THE UPDATES PLEASE

[@da9618]

It's no telling what's really going on with all of these weapons being sold and who's really behind it, just to say it's one man

[@rawlsrules]

This was informative. It is interesting, and disturbing, how this woman appears to distinguish between selling arms to the US vs. human rights' abusers; as if professed ideology means something. National security? Illicit arms sale? Good grief.

[@penhdog2207]

She is a salesperson for arsonists who want you to call them to put out your fire.

[@DaemonJax]

I really don't care who we have to trade to bring home any U.S. citizen imprisoned aboard.

[@sheilayungk7562]

You should be interviewing Viktor!!! This lady is not telling the truth. Look at all the comments below!!!

[@averagebloke4474]

What about Paul Whelan? Why did you not mention him in this video? Every time you say Brittany Griner's name you have to mention Paul Whelan as well.

[@tuckerbugeater]

racial inequality

[@suzyqualcast6269]

Who sells the various weapons to middle man Vic, the manufacturers ? Why arent the makers taken out, or are they legitimately producing...... 💦

[@richarddow69]

"Hundreds of thousands if not millions of deaths on his hands" "MONSTER" exchanged for a basketball player! What? Whoever signed off on this exchange should be serving the remainder of his sentence to jail. And if it can be proofed (again) the person who let this "MONSTER" free should be charged with a War Crime. Maybe there should have been more reporting to the People about this deal to free "The Merchant of Death" when it was known this deal was on the table months ago! This woman should have been booked on every show from CNN to the View! And where was FoxNews? IMO Respectfully

[@lawrenceosh]

Blame your government. Biden orchestrated it and not Russia. He picked Griner to please the LGBTQ community, not because she's black, but because she's gay. If it's a heterosexual black man, they wouldn't care. They left Marine behind and picked Griner, sentenced to a few months in jail.

[@andrewhaas5626]

He was competition and they didn't like it.

[@RUSure-jm9rp]

“Britney Griner is a pawn.” Britney Griner is a confessed drug smuggler. She was brought home instead of Paul Welan, a man that has given his adult life in service of America.

[@kumboahmed3992]

Thats the name i was thinking of. Paul is the closest for a fair deal in this swap.

[@helenpatterson3858]

@@kumboahmed3992 Except he was only a former Marine who was busted down to Private first class before being discharged for attempted theft. I don't have further details but it's definitely more shady than using a vape pen medicinally. He's still an American, and I hope he makes it home safely, however I really hope Americans will stop putting America in the position of having to rescue them from their own stupidity. Just STF out of Russia.

[@danl5592]

He was ONLY a clerk for 5 years, NEVER saw combat and was kicked out of the marines for stealing 10,000 US DOLLARS

[@karry299]

USA government feels that a black lesbian is of greatest importance ? Shocking.

[@RUSure-jm9rp]

@@helenpatterson3858 She smuggled drugs into a country that does not allow that. She confessed.

[@hughca1]

Dude was an agent who went rogue. Reminds me of Metal Gear 😂

[@matthewgibbs6886]

we move more weapons by lunch than this guy did his whole career we do not like any competition even from light weight dealers like him

[@ismaellara4007]

Putin, Putin, Putin but not talk about the people responsible to create wars in the around the world in the last 30 years because America is "excepcional"

[@davidsalcido383]

“Yep, AmeriKKKa is exceptional like Gonorrhea, LOL 💀🦠💉🦠💉🦠💉

[@spikecamden9860]

Im so happy BOUT is released.. you served Russia well.. America basketball sucs these days. Sorry about your bad luck paul

[@acebaker3623]

At around 9:00 she starts to get into the real concern. Putin will use Bout's knowledge of the Grey and Black markets to help fund and fuel the Ukrainian war.

[@jeffhicks8428]

100% nonsense. You don't need to know much to realize this. Unfortunately 75% of the US population is functionally illiterate, so we don't expect much from you.

[@mohammadkarimzai8057]

Most of the countries sales arms this is not now. The USA Atlantic was charged for drugs position not for political purposes.

[@Africageneralchanel]

What of the arms that US use to kill people who are not their own people. Is arms legal?

[@billquest5923]

This woman did not answer any of the questions Nancy asked

[@marywest6844]

I personally am absolutely disgusted that this merchant of death, was freed to go to Russia. This appears to be a payoff for friends in high places. Like corrupt.

[@colinroach7815]

The legal arms trafficking is the most danger.

[@Patrioti_Ilirik]

Russians also arrested a female basketball player from USA for using drugs in Russia in exchange of this Guy.

[@skiesie390]

Well his wife was crying in Thiland when he left and 12 years later she crying and waiting for him when he gets home good for him.

[@iddrisuzurikanen7435]

Erik Prince is a celebrity. Such hypocrisy.

[@khanoelpschon1203]

He should have finished his sentence and then extradited to Africa to face charges of war crimes. Bout is responsible for putting weapons in the hands of 12 year old boy in conflict zones in Afrika, and America trades him for a basketball player. There's blood on his hands.

[@suzyqualcast6269]

Who's responsible for all those M16's in varied African children's hands ? Or, were they all stolen from a Vietnam quartermasters store......

[@khanoelpschon1203]

@@suzyqualcast6269 yeah, and when they can be identified and get caught then we should deal with them. We know who he is, so now he should be fully held accountable

[@olawaleogunlade8241]

@@khanoelpschon1203 we can start with Americas leaders. Starting from Mr bush

[@olawaleogunlade8241]

@@Jj-gi2uv are you trolling

[@jackalopewright5343]

Meanwhile business development for Raytheon, Lockheed and Boeing remain at large.

[@ormadf1]

But was not so much a trader but a logistic operator. He ran a transportation company. His fleet included a number of giant Ruslan cargo planes to transport heavy stuff, including heavy arms for the US forces in Iraq. A lot of work for the CIA and Pentagon. He should get the Liberty Medal from the US Congress!

[@ReportThisComment]

More like the personification of weaponized extraordinary rendition!

[@lololol112]

Hard to find a more contradictory guest.

[@isokabooks3758]

What makes Cheney different from him?

[@laisramleinganba]

Saying Viktor Bout is no longer a threat to USA. Saying Taliban is no longer a threat to USA. People saying those are the threat.

[@mick20227]

You're not going to get a straight or truthful answer out of Kathi Lynn Austin she's just made that very clear! She seems like she has evil intentions!

[@alexstone3822]

This story is totally not what I thought.

[@errolvanzie4765]

What was his actual crime?

[@GPS509]

I am laughing 😃 😀 😄 😁 So hard.. hahahahahahahahahahah

[@joshualaborde3530]

Worst trade in the face of the earth.

[@colinroach7815]

Wait, this lady is worried about this guy ???????????? This lady cannot be real, the US is the BIGGEST ARMS dealer in the world, and she is worried about this guy.

[@placeofvalue]

Putin is just a genius. Chawla Rosji. Now we need Julian Assange freedom.

[@luisvillafane3950]

I have never seen such a person make such a poor attempt to evade a question as when the reporter asked her about the US dealings with this very person to tunnel weapons in conflicts.

[@manjurhasanchisti2264]

Kathy is not speaking about Americans payment🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@user-in4mp2jz4g]

Someone pays well Amy Goodman not to be too curious and ask sharp questions to her guests. Perhaps Democracy Now transforms into Democracy Then …😅

[@tuckerbugeater]

@@user-in4mp2jz4g Why would they?

[@user-in4mp2jz4g]

@@tuckerbugeater this is the only explanation that comes into mind after assessing the quality of Amy questions. For instance, all Mexican gangs are well equipped with all sorts of guns and ammunition. Nonetheless Kathy Lynn Austin has made her career in UN by chasing illegal guns traffickers mainly in Africa. Why so?

[@moobrien1747]

BUDDY OF CHENEY'S? COMPLETELY SHOCKING OMG.! NOT.