|
In his recent film “Lords of War” Nicholas Cage portrays the rise and life of an international arms dealer. Cage is dealing to tyrant’s despot’s and third world dictators the competition for the business is fierce. Cage must watch over his shoulder for the intrigue of his competitors and the caprice of psychopathic leaders. Little did I realize while watching this film that it was more documentary than melodrama.
When Paul Bremmer disbanded the Iraqi army they took their guns and went home. So to build a new army we must supply new guns, right? Not exactly, they are our allies so we will get them M16’s just like all our allies right? No, not exactly, well then will give the AK47’s so our friends can’t use our ammunition. Lets call Russia and order 200,000 shiny new AK47’s right? Not exactly, this is army on the cheap never mind what the budget says second or third hand will be fine. Enter Bosnia, remember peacekeeping?
As part of the peace treaty the warring sides would be disarmed and the weapons destroyed and that’s what happened right? Well, not exactly, the troops were disarmed all right but the weapons weren’t destroyed they were sold! To….? I won’t say it you already know! Why buy new when you can buy Hot!
"It's difficult to persuade people to destroy weapons when they're all holding back and waiting for Uncle Sam to arrive with a fistful of dollars," said Adrian Wilkinson, a former British officer overseeing a UN disarmament programme in former Yugoslavia. But it gets better! You can’t lay down with dogs and not get fleas.
The arms were flown out of a US airbase in Bosnia by a Moldavian Airline very similar to the ones Cage used in the film. The weapons were headed for Baghdad but there is no record they ever arrived Gone, vanished!
Well it’s a good thing we pay by invoice well,
Not exactly, check? Credit Card? You see when you deal with people in the black market you have to pay in cash. A complex web of private firms, arms brokers and freight firms, was behind the transfer of the guns, as well as millions of rounds of ammunition, to Iraq at "bargain basement prices", according to Hugh Griffiths, Amnesty's investigator. The Moldavian air firm, which flew the cargo out of a US air base at Tuzla, north-east Bosnia, was flying without a license. The firm, Aerocom, named in a 2003 UN investigation of the diamonds-for-guns trade in Liberia and Sierra Leone, is now defunct, but its assets and aircraft are registered with another Moldavian firm, Jet Line International.
Some of the firms used in the Pentagon sponsored deals were also engaged in illegal arms shipments from Serbia and Bosnia to Liberia and to Saddam Hussein four years ago.
Ok. In actuality were standing in the woods at midnight holding the bag open waiting for the snipe to come running our way it happens to everyone. But our service people are billed for every piece of equipment they lose or fail to turn in even if they lose it while flying through the air after hitting a road side bomb. Who will pay for these weapons?
Privates, Sergeants? No, we will just put it on our bill file it under stupid. I hope the snipe come along soon I’m getting cold out here in the woods!
At the end of the movie Cage is arrested by US authorities, they tell him they are going to put him away for life if he doesn’t confess. Cage laughs and says I’ll be out of here in a couple of hours and I might even get an apology you see I work for your Boss.
|
Printer-friendly format
Email this thread to a friend
Bookmark this thread
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
