As fighting in Libya continues, it becomes increasingly clear the National Transitional Council, the rebels temporary government, should focus on securing weapon warehouses.
Russian-made surface-to-air missiles and other valuable weapons are being stolen from Libyan weapon storehouses by NTC aligned fighters and others.
The “other” column is the real danger.
If such weapons, priced at thousands of dollars, are sold on the black market, which is quite likely, they could get into the hands of terrorists–if they haven’t already.
While the NTC has managed to secure some of more potent weapons, many still remain unaccounted for, included about 20,000 shoulder-fired surface-to-air missiles.
These weapons have the potential to shoot down coalition aircraft up to 11,000 ft in the air.
I don’t know about you, but I think that has scary written all over it.
Especially since there is already evidence that the weapons are being transferred out of the country. The governments of neighboring Niger and Chad have both said that weapons from Libya are already being smuggled into their countries illegally.
In order to keep these weapon’s out of the hand’s of militants or even countries like Iran, the NTC needs to make weapon security a priority and quickly.
If not, they could find their country locked in never ending chaos.