The Obama administration has days or weeks to ensure that Libya鈥檚 chemical weapons and its shoulder-fired missiles 鈥� which can take down commercial airliners 鈥� do not fall into the hands of terrorists, according to Rep. Mike Rogers (R) of Michigan, who chairs the House Intelligence Committee.
Chairman Rogers, an early supporter of US enforcement of a no-fly zone in Libya, has said that the temptation to sell such weapons could produce a 鈥渂lack market bonanza鈥� in Qaddafi鈥檚 last days or during a transition to a new regime. Over the next 48 hours to two weeks, 鈥淲e鈥檇 better be very, very aggressive 鈥� about securing these weapon systems,鈥� he said on MSNBC鈥檚 鈥�Morning Joe鈥� on Tuesday.
State Department spokeswoman Ms. Nuland told reporters on Thursday that the remaining elements of Libya鈥檚 nuclear program are secure. 鈥淭he last of the highly enriched uranium, the bomb-making fuel, was removed from Libya in 2009,鈥� she said.
Libya鈥檚 supply of yellowcake uranium is at the Tajura nuclear research facility. 鈥淲e are able, through our national technical means, to assert that we believe that it is secure,鈥� she added. Such "technical means" often refer to satellite surveillance. Supplies of mustard gas, contained in a heavy bunker, are also monitored.
While the US and TNC have been working together on securing shoulder-fired missiles, known as Man Portable Air Defense System (ManPADs), it鈥檚 not clear how significant a problem it is.
鈥淭here鈥檚 been a lot of fear-mongering reporting about the missiles and other things,鈥� Nuland said. 鈥淚 cannot from here today size the ManPAD problem, because I don鈥檛 think anybody knows.鈥�
"We鈥檝e been working with all of the neighbors on any ManPADs that might have been proliferated or could be proliferated,鈥� she added. 鈥淭he TNC wants to continue this work with us.鈥�
