As Viktor Bout heads from the confines of his Bangkok cell towards the United States in a specially chartered jet, one can only wonder about what kind of improbable backroom deals were put in place to secure his extradition. On an intelligence level, Bout’s extradition is a huge catch for U.S. authorities. Sources familiar with his career have emphasized the extraordinary value of his knowledge of Russia’s participation in arms trafficking over the world. Journalist Douglas Farah has argued that Bout “could likely tell a great deal about the Russian-led networks that continue to arm jihadi movements in Somalia and Yemen. He also likely knows how the Russian military intelligence and arms structure works, including its interests from Iran to Venezuela and elsewhere. His knowledge base, although he is only 43 years old, goes back more than two decades and possibly extends to the heart of the Russian campaigns around the globe.”