it's judgment day for victor boot the russian man convicted of arms trafficking and terrorism conspiracy the judge is expected to hand down a verdict any moment now and we will give you a live report from new york. plus bloodshed continues in syria despite these promises from both sides of the u.s. increasing involvement in the conflict will anything and the violence at this point we're following the crisis we'll bring you the latest. and keep your friends close

and your enemies closer these days it seems the u.s. has taken that longit a hard especially when it comes to dealing with china but how long can this tap dance continue before one steps on the other's toes or question war. it's thursday april fifth five pm here in washington d.c. i'm liz wall and you're watching artsy. well he has been the big merchant of death in the u.s. russian arms dealer viktor booth is set to be handed a sentence in federal court in new york at the moment the sentencing hearing began a poor thirty this afternoon still no word from the court but was found guilty back in november for selling millions of dollars worth of weapons to south american terrorists prosecutors call him quote a businessman of the most dangerous order and while he has become infamous in the

u.s. his supporters say he's a victim of entrapment and never stood a chance at a fair trial i think correspond on a stasia churkin i give us an overview of the case. years spent by the u.s. to hunt down one russian and tens of millions of dollars of taxpayer cash forward into a sting operation snatched up from a third country alleged arms dealer victor boot was handcuffed flown to the u.s. and police in solitary confinement for months before trial found him guilty on all four charges one conspiring to kill united states nationals two conspiring to kill united states officers and employees three conspiring to use them acquire anti-aircraft missiles and for conspiring to provide material support to the sarc the forty four year old russian air cargo business men fascinated hollywood warner far from. the record. and only on the other

a. boot lost his case in the court of u.s. public opinion long before his trial kicked off raising concerns of the fairness of his trial this is the lord of war. the merchant of death right and you've got him in your hands spread he's in custody it's a great feeling u.s. officials were relentless in their efforts to get behind bars so-called merchant of death is now a federal inmate american agents posing as forked members a colombian group to terrorist in the u.s. but not by many other countries and the un network and then arrested in thailand in two thousand and eight after twice being found not guilty by thai courts the u.s. reportedly plea dirty right arm twisting thailand into extraditing him to america they're willing to flaunt every international law to get what they want and that means doing all these illegal things in the case of them to extradite him or kidnap

and boots family also u.s. actions entrapment and kidnapping sky i can accept the possibility that they might have some information that might be of interest to someone but why is it that other countries don't just think for themselves that there is someone who has some interesting information and why don't those government just try those people out of their territory moscow's requests to send him to russia for trial were brushed aside there was no official decision of an extradition russia called boots extradition illegal and question the validity of his conviction one of the main arguments of the defense that the u.s. lacked jurisdiction was ignored by the court defense says the russian was aware that he was not in touch with real fark members and all he was trying to do was so to all cargo planes leaders of imaginary crimes manufactured jurisdiction and manufactured evidence journalist george map has attended every hearing in the case he says is one of many victims of u.s. judicial power play they feel the victor in this and in particular charges that

were brought against him that he is innocent so you know i don't i don't want any innocent man whether it be a russian citizen because we were joyed they would still be you know a sentence of life or of a crime that they didn't commit it to boot. in russia that is mean you think that when an american for forty four legged run for me what made you. worry what thread that we ride. other cars. for can. look for thirty pounds and saying that there will be boys of russia he was first asked about his time in lock up here in the us and if the plants write a memoir in the future. i don't have any hidden secrets i don't have been part of any student so-called secret sauce you know that doubles pickle for da who is now became well known agent for hire when you need to jeopardize somebody you're just giving him

a call and those are perfect time marches to get anybody into trouble because they are so perfect and that kind of the manipulation so i don't know anything to write about i'm not planning to write in a memoirs called i don't waste my time for necessary you know as we called in russia no no it's going to take a dirty list to boot do you believe the movie lord of war story nicholas cage played a role in your trial or better yet he's hired a operations for arrest to listen there is a problem with my understanding of the world belief in english that all i did not believe i know it because look at the even of agent on the first a rasmus daughters are always told a movie about you besides i did lead to asked a picture with you it's like a trophy i'm for them like and i'll have to deescalate kilts and how they won't take a picture with them on some of the wild animal and now they schedule and they're going to put on their kitchen and show their kits on the grandkids and always

hunted that animal but tuna first place created that me for about it than him they don't care. they don't want to know the truth they believe overall to have been you know anything of what in the further mass media mainstream media in this country they can manufacture jurisdiction like they be the transponder for sure nexuses they can manufacture a lot of legal stuff but they can't manufacture truth truce is there and are gods is their opinion the truth is very simple and square i'm innocent i don't commit any crime there's no crime to sit and talk if you're going to apply this anal standards to me then you're going to you know jail all those arms dealers in america who selling their arms in any doctor killing americans they are involved even more than. i mean if you feel this is a fair and just look to a person only because you talk about something without doing some think it's

a double standard it's of toxicity. and it's a no naked stage whisper but have you learned anything about yourself on custody for this many years any thing you might have discovered about yourself something new well i wouldn't say that i discovered something new i. don't little bit different much of. the different levels i had before i'm still the same person which i'm in the forest and i hope to be the same after i released. a lot of victor vu speaking for the voice of russia and the interview mr bill went on to say that american prosecutors can tell him that they cannot write here at that continue with our coverage of this story he's been dubbed the merchant of death in the us russian arms dealer viktor good is that to be handed his sentence in new

york any moment now our correspondent on a thought which are going to as a new york with more on a start the are we any closer to the verdict or or to the sentencing. well liz were definitely on pins and needles expecting the sentencing to come down any minute now we will update our viewers a suit of course as we know and learn victor boots destiny we do know that he's facing from twenty five years a minimal amount of time for the charges brought against him to a life time behind bars the prosecution is asking that he be put into jail for the rest of his life the defense team including richard good have called this a discreet they say and as we just heard in that interview victor boot continues to absolutely maintain his innocence whether or not his voice will end up being heard at the last minute inside the courthouse is a big question of course as you know victor boot has been held in solitary confinement for over a year and three months he has also been very hopeful until the last minute that

the case might reverse but as we've just heard him explain in that interview to go to the voice of russia radio but it's something that he's not he doesn't expect he thinks it's a political case that was built against him so he's not expecting a positive outcome for himself although of course himself his defense and his family members continue hoping now i'm the south and i know that you had a chance a while back to speak to victor. i know that this must be very hard for the family right now have you heard anything from her. well you know liz you're absolutely right throughout this case dragging out in the us i did get an opportunity to speak with our boots several times actually where she shared her concerns told us about victor's conditions and this is a family that's definitely. fighting for future and what we've heard from all of course herself and her daughter here on the ground at the sentencing as we speak and on the eve of the sentencing last night his daughter victor whose

daughter liza sent a letter to the judge pleading that her father be released and allow her father to go back home this is the latest that we know whether or not this letter as well as many other pleas from his family as well as members of the russian consulate here on the ground will end up being heard we'll find out in the minutes really as the sentencing comes down now that sentencing as you said twenty five to twenty five year. he prosecutors are asking for life which way do you think it's going to go for him you know there's really no telling liz we have to keep in mind there would that was somewhat of a similar case unraveling here in new york city recently where another russian man a pilot konstantin your schenkel was sentenced to twenty five years behind bars and there are two until the last minute because this was also a man that had never stepped foot on u.s. soil before the defense team and his supporters really were expecting that sentence would not be so harsh in this case there's no telling but you know we have to say

victor good is forty five years old this is a man who says he's completely innocent so even if he does get this so-called minimal sentence we're still talking about twenty five years so he'll be a senior when he gets out even if he gets this minimum amount of time behind bars now. one way or another we know that he has at least facing twenty five years and your word on whether or not if that is planning on filing an appeal and what would have a process look like. absolutely liz that's something the defense has been talking about they have been demanding really even today that the judge dropped all the charges being presented against big release him this is of course is unlikely to happen so the defense is preparing to file an appeal we've heard richard mention this in several interviews actually as well as the defense they do acknowledge that of course it's going to be a very difficult process because the judge jury court in the united states has so much power that it's unlikely that their decisions get reversed but an appeal is in

fact likely whether or not something will come out of that that would be good i mean at this point will just be speculating really because we have to find out what percent and says we do know there will be an appeal if the sentence is a harsh one and there will be an appeal unless the tributes case is completely dropped which nobody really at this point is expecting except for maybe his family and himself and i know on to say that there's a lot of controversy surrounding as to whether or not that he was it was even possible for him to have a fair trial here in the u.s. he is a merchant in dhaka merchant. there are a lot of people that stand by hand and believe that he is innocent. that's right liz you know the circling term by the united states the merchants of death it's really a very unique case really that a term like merchant of death or lord of war these are not just names of books or movies made by hollywood these are real names that even the prosecution and u.s.

officials called victor good once he was inside the courtroom this is just you know a movie that was needed and u.s. officials allowed themselves to use this name to the extent that the judge had to ban it from being used inside the courtroom because they realize what kind of an influence that could have on the jury is so this is really a unique case when a nickname created by the entertainment business becomes a real nickname for a person whose destiny has been decided in a u.s. court right now. thank you for keeping us updated and we will continue to check in with you as the sentencing is set to come out any moment now that was our correspondent honest. well we want to take a step back and look at some of the other crimes that can land you a potential life sentence here in the u.s. to sort of put it into perspective we have a graphic to show you a few other crimes that would merit a twenty five year to life sentence as expected topping the list are murder and rape high treason of course could land you

a happy prison sentence or more also severe child abuse human trafficking aggravated burglary or robbery and then there is severe or violent cases of drug dealing and other violent crimes including but not limited to aggravated assault aggravated battery and carjacking now obviously all of these are all horrible crimes that justify harsh sentences murder torture treason the horrors of the use cannot be understated however and all these case it it it is the duty of the prosecution to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the crime was committed by that person in this case a victor boot many believe there is substantial doubt over his involvement in the arms during an even more question over why and how he was extradited in the first place. well the death toll continues to rise in syria as fighting rages on between rebel and government forces activists described today as one of the most

violent since the uprising began about a year ago syrian forces say they're complying with international mediator kofi annan peace plan by pulling out of cities and towns now the u.n. is set to send a team to syria in hopes of reaching a peace deal and cease fire within forty eight hours so is the bloodshed possible and the near future a deeper into this earlier i spoke to middle east analyst. i asked him how promising is this peace plan here's his response. peace plan if you think if it is followed respected and implemented. we can have a breakthrough with the events unfortunately the reality on the ground sees the. mastering the art of just giving words false promises when it comes to implement. is quote new yorker and it almost non existant this has

been the style of the management from the syrian regime so the crisis if the date that's been said by the syrian government april clearance is the day that supposedly should seize their military operations i am anticipating much more violent attacks that will take place in the coming forty eight hours i still don't trust the bush will comply or respect his promise now it is hard to believe that peace is right around the corner when we are seeing one of the bloodiest days in quite some time the syrian president acceptance of this peace plan is you know and withdrawing the troops is being met with the says by rebel forces already. not only the rebel forces but other heads of states he is the regional neighbors. international powers nobody

is taking a shot at promises at face value they are already building a case that the entire world is against them and the shore have great talent for broadway production if they will be qualifying to get a visa to visit the united states after he is the polish from his office now i'm russian foreign minister has attacked the group the friends of syria group of western and arab nations that supports arming the opposition and he has said that this is not helping the peace process at all either. and nobody sees that the actions of the shuttle and his delusion is helping to solve the crisis and just makes the situation much more complicated yesterday was and today was two of the bloodiest that we have seen innocent victims fall in the acid lives in

a fantasy that he is not be a good ass but he is subject to a major world conspiracy to plot against his regime because of the prosperity that you syrian people and democracies that the enjoyed under his leadership now we are here in contradicting number that's our high how high the death toll really as but it is important to know that there is violence going on on both sides but it's hard to know really what's going on there because journalists are not allowed in the country. joiners are not allowed in the country. peacekeepers we also have a problem to get into syria that's part of the plan there was a talk to us about the need that goes peacekeepers to be armed and the syrian government is refusing to allow any peace keeper was any form of arms. that they may possess not even for personal protection so the syrian are wasting

time we are playing a game of wasting opportunities and i can for see that their end was not going to be any different than the end of normal because of how the libyan people have dealt with them now a. group is expected to arrive in syria shortly what can we expect to come out of back. that is an administration and they are going to check the. sites where you're going to be placing the observers do you checking your routes for the humanitarian. aid convoys but till we see these observers on the ground until we see that there is safe corridors have been established to deliver humanitarian aid and until we see cease

fire by the syrian army using heavy tanks and heavy artillery shelling innocent civilians in syria now we see any of these things happen there's going to be a potential but right now there is nothing of that sort is happening ok and it is the police fire on both sides that they are hoping to achieve are you competent and are hopeful that that will be able to happen. if the syrian government ceasefire within forty eight hours according to the mr kofi annan plan the opposition are going to stop. firing as well but they're going to keep during the first forty eight hours defensive positions and i was middle east analyst at fox a while faith parents we have a lot more news coming up for you. up

into the alone until you get the real headline which none of the most of the problem with the mainstream media today is that they're completely disconnected from the viewers from what actually matters to those viewers and so that's why young people just don't watch t.v. anymore if they want news they go online and read it but we're trying to take those stories that people actually care about and transfer them back even. harder is the state. speaking russian channel it's kind of like. russia today has an extremely confrontational stance when it comes to us.

all the u.s. and china two world powers with a very shaky relationship and a study by the brookings institution shows that as china's influence grows they see the u.s. as a declining power but they also believe that the u.s. will do anything and its power to make sure that it stays on top now this comes as the u.s. is shifting their geo political focus to the age of pacific region and just yesterday two hundred u.s. marines arrived and darwin australia they are the first of thousands expected to arrive now this is the latest move by the u.s. military to amp up its presence in the region and china has some concerns with a growing u.s. presence nearby so as tension rises what does the future hold for u.s. china relations talk more about this rain a lot of political economist joins us now welcome raymond so we are seeing that there are suspicions on both sides but is there one side that seems to be more

suspicious. you know i don't think it's a question of suspiciousness or distrust of those are real phenomena or who distrust whom or which is really going on is that there is that there are growing geopolitical tensions between the united states and china and this is taking place against a backdrop of a profound global economic crisis that's really what's setting the stage for this you see over the last two decades a decline of the u.s. share of world production of the dollar and its role in international currency markets and its role in the international economy has roaded and you see the rise of china not as a socialist society but as a capitalist power since the death of. china has been a capitalist society and china's economic clout has grown it is now the second

largest economy in the world it's the second largest manufacturing exporter and the rimini the trainees currency is playing an increasingly important role in the world economy so there is a shift in relative economic might in the world the us is still the dominant power but china's rise is a profound in shaping feature of global geo economics and this now is leading to intensifying geo economic tensions between these two powers and as well we are seeing a shaft that i'm military responses to your last shifting our military might to the asia pacific region and its affiliates because they want. presence near china. well you know i think you know again against the backdrop that i'm setting forth here yes this is absolutely true if you look at the january twelve pentagon strategy review that was issued in january of this year you know it speaks of quote

a rebalancing of u.s. military assets towards asia and it singles out china this is a reflection of the pack as i said of the growing rivalry economic and geo political between these two powers and the us and us imperialism is seeking to compensate for its declining economic strength you know by using its military advantage and what's happening now as you kind of touched on in the opening to this segment you know is very very significant the u.s. has expanded its long term presence military presence in asia of for the first time since the end of the war in vietnam that is setting up this base in australia the u.s. is seeking to strengthen its partnerships and alliances in east asia and it is what we did with the wall street journal called a few months ago a full court press against china that is it's trying to encircle china and tighten

that and circumvent economically militarily and diplomatically it's insinuating itself into territorial disputes in the south china seas and it is as i said you know trying to reassert its head ramona condition in asia and china in turn is responding to that but both of these powers are actually seeking to expand their their presence and their influence the u.s. is reasserting its dominant presence and china is as a capitalist power in transition to an imperialist power is expanding its commercial influence is breaking out into africa into central asia and its relative demand for raw materials is greater now than ever. war and this is again part of this backdrop and that rivalry is not in the interest of the people of the world so what you're saying is that the u.s. as they kind of surround china and a way you know with

a new base is that we're seeing in the in the region that china is also responding to the us yeah as i said both of these you know the u.s. is the dominant imperialist power in the world and it is responsible for more suffering more death and destruction that any policy is since the end of world war two and of course you know it's there to be very galling and upsetting to anyone of decency and justice when the u.s. talks about reasserting its strength in asia this is where the us wage this war in vietnam for ten years and was responsible for the deaths of two to three million people that were in korea the u.s. was responsible the cia was complicit in the deaths of five hundred thousand people in indonesia in one nine hundred sixty five so when the u.s. talks about you know reasserting or rebalancing or really weren't doing towards asia you know there is a proven record there that is one of oppression and horror and china in turn is as

i said as it is as a capitalist power in transition to an imperial power is engaged in a process of expansion as i said economically and militarily china is stepping up and ramping up its you know military spending the budget in two thousand and twelve and china will now be over one hundred billion dollars which makes trying to the second largest military spender in the world of course this is only one seventh of u.s. military expenditure are we have just a very little amount of time left but we are seeing these tensions rising where could this lead ultimately ten fifteen years where is this happening. well i mean i think we see some of the signs in seeds of this right now this intensifying rivalry could lead to military conflict and you know i'm not here to her to make any predictions but this is in fact you know entirely conceivable sort of one as i said there is the dean.