Scan barcode
rosseroo's review against another edition
3.0
This book takes what is a truly interesting subject for about 40-60 pages and milks it over and over for 300 pages until bone dry. The basics can be summarized in a long paragraph:
The dissolution of the Soviet Union led to sudden unemployment for hundreds of thousands of former Soviet soldiers, and essentially free-for-all looting of former Soviet military supplies. A large number of experienced military pilots and crew immediately went into business as "no problem" couriers (as in, "any cargo, any place, any time -- no problem") using ex-military Antonov and Ilyushin cargo jets. Due to the complete inability of any international agency to comprehensively monitor planes, companies, and crews, and the complete porousness of borders and customs operations in most of the developing world, these crews have thrived as couriers of cargo ranging from completely legitimate food aid to international sanction-busting arms (although the bulk of the money is made in the "gray" middle). Some of these businesses are more legit that others, but even so, there's no way to really know whether a particular flight is totally clean or not, since the crews are often make their money by smuggling tons of personal cargo. The beauty of the ecosystem is that there's enough plausible deniability for all governments involved, as well as the owners, and crewmen. The so-called "kingpins" you may have heard about, such as Viktor "The Merchant of Death" Bout (upon whom the film Lord of War is largely based), are only middlemen, there are people higher up the food chain who may or may not be very highly placed in former Soviet states such as Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus.
That story is pretty interesting, however Potter isn't able to tell it in a fluid or concise way. To his credit, he has clearly put in tons of on the ground research hanging out with these aviators and interviewing people in the air freight business and international watchdog types. However, the book is incredibly repetitive, and structurally zig zags between a chronological account and a geographical one. Along the way, there are lots of interesting details buried here and there (someone needs to do a feature about these small communities of ex-Soviet airman in the backwaters of Africa), but it is awfully repetitive and the topic could have been covered almost as well with a long magazine feature. Those interested in international relations and gray economies will find the content interesting, as will those with an interest in the former Soviet Union, but I'd be hard-pressed to recommend it to general audience.
The dissolution of the Soviet Union led to sudden unemployment for hundreds of thousands of former Soviet soldiers, and essentially free-for-all looting of former Soviet military supplies. A large number of experienced military pilots and crew immediately went into business as "no problem" couriers (as in, "any cargo, any place, any time -- no problem") using ex-military Antonov and Ilyushin cargo jets. Due to the complete inability of any international agency to comprehensively monitor planes, companies, and crews, and the complete porousness of borders and customs operations in most of the developing world, these crews have thrived as couriers of cargo ranging from completely legitimate food aid to international sanction-busting arms (although the bulk of the money is made in the "gray" middle). Some of these businesses are more legit that others, but even so, there's no way to really know whether a particular flight is totally clean or not, since the crews are often make their money by smuggling tons of personal cargo. The beauty of the ecosystem is that there's enough plausible deniability for all governments involved, as well as the owners, and crewmen. The so-called "kingpins" you may have heard about, such as Viktor "The Merchant of Death" Bout (upon whom the film Lord of War is largely based), are only middlemen, there are people higher up the food chain who may or may not be very highly placed in former Soviet states such as Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus.
That story is pretty interesting, however Potter isn't able to tell it in a fluid or concise way. To his credit, he has clearly put in tons of on the ground research hanging out with these aviators and interviewing people in the air freight business and international watchdog types. However, the book is incredibly repetitive, and structurally zig zags between a chronological account and a geographical one. Along the way, there are lots of interesting details buried here and there (someone needs to do a feature about these small communities of ex-Soviet airman in the backwaters of Africa), but it is awfully repetitive and the topic could have been covered almost as well with a long magazine feature. Those interested in international relations and gray economies will find the content interesting, as will those with an interest in the former Soviet Union, but I'd be hard-pressed to recommend it to general audience.
strickvl's review against another edition
5.0
What a STORY! This book kept me up all night. Engagingly written (if a little expansive at times).
joesilverfox's review against another edition
4.0
If this book is to believed (and I believe it is). A lot of the shit we are in right now is because of the collapse of the Soviet Union. And for that we can blame the USA. And as this book tells us, many, many governments (and government secret agencies) use unofficial carriers like these to arm rebel, governments and out and out murderers. Taking place in a giant chess game with human lives a guaranteed result of all the work these agencies are involved in.
It's a dirty violent world of dictators and government manipulation. Sadly the real culprits never seem to be brought to task, just the lowly workers.
Whilst the corrupt and power hungry load their pockets with riches.
It's a dirty violent world of dictators and government manipulation. Sadly the real culprits never seem to be brought to task, just the lowly workers.
Whilst the corrupt and power hungry load their pockets with riches.
More...