When America Quits: Long Term Problems

Who Wants to Buy Arms?

The affidavit filed by the undercover agent in the case of those charged with purchasing illegal arms to be used in violation of the Neutrality Act to overthrow the government of Laos, includes a statement allegedly made by Harrison Jack that others would be interested in purchasing arms.

“On April 11, 2007, I called Harrison JACK, at which time JACK asked if I could meet with him the following day to provide the updated inventory list. JACK said there was another Hmong party interested in buying weapons from me. JACK requested that I bring three copies of the inventory list, one for himself and one for each of the interested parties. JACK said he would meet with “Hmong leadership” on Friday, April 13, 2007, to forward the updated list and obtain additional information about the other interested party.”

. . . JACK told me he was going to Stockton, California the next day to meet with leadership, some of whom he would be meeting for the first time. I asked JACK to obtain information about the other potential customer at this meeting. . .”

According to the complaint filed on June 4, “Lo Cha THAO thanked the undercover agent for agreeing to handle payment in Thailand and told him that there were 120,000 Montagnards (indigenous mountain tribe people of Southeast Asia) in the Golden Triangle who also wanted equipment (weapons). MM (p. 25)

To what purpose would those arms have been put? Self-defense?—or other less worthy causes?

The Golden Triangle--Laos, Thailand and Myanmar [formerly known as Burma]--is widely recognized as a region of drug trafficking and production.

Laos has curbed production of opium, according to the United Nations’ “The World Drug Report.” The Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Antonio Maria Costa said, "Laos has made spectacular progress which has not received the attention it deserves.” The World Drug Report said, “Until the mid-l990’s Laos was the third largest illicit opium producer in the world, [but it] slashed opium cultivation by 72 percent in 2005 and is on the verge of becoming opium free.” However, this report deals with production, and The World Factbook notes that, “the massive drug production and trafficking industry centered in the Golden Triangle makes Laos an important narcotics transit country, and armed Wa and Chinese smugglers are active on the Lao-Burma border (2005).”

The charges are only allegations and defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.