The recent extradition of alleged arms trader and "merchant of death" Victor Bout from Thailand to the US not only marked a diplomatic and political victory in a behind-the-scenes tug-of-war for the Americans, but also has visibly set off alarm bells in Moscow. Russia accuses the US of having exerted undue pressure on the judicial process in Thailand to lobby in favor of extradition of a man who was about to be released from custody this month. Analysts explain the frenzied and hectic reaction from Moscow by the inside knowledge Bout is believed to have, allegedly including details incriminating the highest echelons of Russian politics. This only confirms the value of the prisoner for the US.
Moscow's accusations of subversion of the judicial process by the US and the continued captivity of a man it maintains is innocent cannot but remind us of the case of Mikhail Khodorkovsky (and Platon Lebedev) in which sentencing is expected in a few weeks time and in which the roles of the US and Russia and the accusations are reversed. Apart from the timing and the opposite perceptions of these cases by both sides, there are few other similarities.
However, given that such a valuable prisoner has fallen in the hands of the Americans at this particular time, is there any chance behind-the-scenes bargaining on his behalf or regarding information he may give on the Russian leadership may influence the fate of Mikhail Khodorkovsky as well?
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