Nicolas Cage's Yuri Orlov is largely based on the exploits of international arms dealer Viktor Bout, a former Soviet officer, who was finally arrested by Thai authorities in March 2008. Bout, known as the "Merchant of Death," was trying to make a deal with American agents who were posing as FARC insurgents when he was apprehended. After languishing in a Bangkok prison awaiting extradition by the US, he was tried, found guilty and awaits sentencing in a Manhattan prison. The quote from Orlov seems appropriate, "I know that just because they needed me that day didn't mean that they wouldn't make me a scapegoat the next." As a further reference, Orlov's father is named Anatoly just like Bout's father.
A Liberian guard wears a beret with an emblem of two crossed swords on oak leaves. This is a German emblem. However it is not uncommon for soldiers in West African armies to not be issued official fatigues or uniforms. Instead they often will wear second hand clothing that they find in the local markets. It is possible that the soldier bought the old German army beret.
When Yuri is in his apartment looking down out the window, you can see the Interpol truck is almost completely in the sun. In the next shot, when you see Jack stepping out of the truck, the entire truck is in the shade.
The newspaper Yuri reads to his brother is dated Wednesday July 7, 1983, however, the headline story "Arias Peace Plan Calls for Stabilizing Central America" occurred August 7, 1987.
What is meant by the characters when they refer to an 'end user certificate'?
A
An end user certificate is a piece of diplomatic documentation which states that weapons purchased in one country will eventually end up being used by the specific country named on the form. In reality illicit arms dealers like Yuri bribe corrupt embassy officials and members of governments to provide them or just fake them entirely, diverting the weapons supplied for the intended recipient elsewhere. This means that even legitimate countries who oppose the black market arms trade can end up providing armaments that end up in the wrong hands.