So You Want to be an

Arms Dealer?
Published on February 6, 2018

Tony MeléFollow
President/Sr. Consultant at AMI GLOBAL SECURITY LLC

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I have been associated with a few of the most prolific
covert arms dealers in the world for most of my adult life.
There is no University of Arms Dealing nor is there a
diploma for gun-running arms around the world to war
zones, hot spots, or covert operators arming guerilla
fighters in cooperation with your government's foreign
policy.
Before authors like Tom Clancey or Milt Beardon or
movie producers could spin tales of high adventure in
Cold War settings of smuggling the newest Soviet Tanks
or electronic guidance systems for air to air missiles, they
had to first pattern the main characters after the men who
actually did it. Before millions of readers voraciously
consumed stories of bribery, daring, loading and
unloading cargo ships, and deftly transferring end user
certificates. There was first the real life international arms
dealers dodging some of the world's leading intelligence
agents, commissioned to stop them with a license to kill.
But with them at every step of the way, was their
bodyguard, standing between the mission and the threat.
That was how I got my start.
Without divulging names, places or breaking the given
word sworn to secrecy unnecessary to make the point of
this article, I may share that I enjoyed the unique
experience of engaging with professional intelligence
officers and agents ranging from the U.S., INTERPOL,
NATO, WARSAW, MOSSAD, Saudi Kingdom and the
Soviet Union, during the early 80's into the late 90's. I ran
with former French mercenaries in African rebel held
areas, alongside Israeli businessmen trading guns for
diamonds. Among these associates, some we cooperated
with, some we consulted, a few we misled, others we
dodged trying to keep one step ahead of them to avert
calamity. All of whom, we respected, none of which, we
trusted. Every day you learn to live by your wits and at
times enjoy the quiet satisfaction of putting the guy they
sent to spy on your boss on the wrong flight to someplace
else.
The art of the arms deal was taught to me by virtue of
osmosis, experiences, good and bad, high anxiety, real
and imagined, by men of honor and some not, but oddly
self regulated, self governed by a code of gallantry that
even our opponents would abide and all too often our so
called allies and compatriots would abandon. Never
forget, greed will kill a deal quicker than a bullet.
Stupidity is likely in every new handshake. Rank and
titles of nobility are not immunized from ignorance.
When you least expect it, the government "apparachnick"
will be the one who traded the lives of brave men and
destroyed a network it took years to cultivate for the
promise of a lousy promotion.
Espionage may be the second oldest profession but Arms
dealing runs a close second to the first oldest profession.
It being what it is, dress sharp as a rule. In the event you
are killed, die well dressed. Today, the arms business is
tamed compared to my experiences. Adrenalin junkies
need not apply.
Defense contracting, security contractors, the bid process
and small business set-asides replaced the rough and
tumble days of bodyguards and gun-runners in the time of
the Cold War and arming coup plots.
For now, apply for your Federal Firearms License. Go
through the rigors to obtain a Defense Trade Broker's
registration number. Studiously absorb the International
Traffic in Arms Regulation [ITAR]. Subscribe to the
Federal Business Daily. Cultivate suppliers, shippers,
exporters, bankers, contracting officers and convince them
to work with you.
Resist the urge to chase the rabbit down the hole. It is
always dark and the rabbit that led you into his hole is
smarter than you are. If you did already, you know what I
mean. If you hadn't yet, you will not take this warning to
heart, none of us ever do, but you will find out for
yourself just how deep the rabbit hole can go.
Learn how to construct a bid packet, on time, in full
compliance, as the low bidder, competing against the
manufacturers who also quoted you. Navigate all of that
until you close a deal, asking yourself repeatedly; "So,
you want to be an Arms Dealer.?"