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NBC News investigative producer for special projects
More than decade ago, a Washington writer penned a novel based on Moammar Gadhafi’s willingness to use chemical weapons. Called “Circle William,” the novel was based on a supposed plot by Gadhafi to use chemical weapons against the Israeli Knesset in Jerusalem and a ship christening ceremony in Norfolk, Va. Predictably, the plot failed because of the heroic efforts of two brothers.
While there is no evidence that Libya would go after U.S. or Israeli targets — or even has the capability to do so — one of the book’s main premises is very real: Gadhafi has vast reserves of chemical weapons.
Libya has a "significant" stockpile of chemical weapons, developed during the 1980s, according to U.S. officials, but the U.S. also believes there is no evidence that he is prepared to use them against his own people. With the destruction of 3,500 aerial bombs in 2004, Gadhafi may not have the delivery systems needed.
"We have no indication he is planning to use them against his population ... but he doesn't always make rational decisions," said one official, speaking on condition of anonymity.
U.S. officials do say the Libyan government recently updated security measures at the country’s chemical weapons storage and destruction facilities.
U.S. officials tell NBC News the facilities are on an air base near the town of Sebha, 250 miles south of Tripoli. The Libyans have been using a chemical neutralization process to destroy the weapons and are nearing completion of an incineration facility at Sebha.
Indeed, Libya has one of the world’s largest remaining stockpiles of chemical weapons.
Of the 23 tons of mustard gas declared by the Libyans in 2004, only about 9.5 tons remain, according to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, or OPCW, which has responsibility for overseeing the destruction of such weapons under the Chemical Weapons Convention.
The destruction began in 2010 and was supposed to be concluded by May, but the situation in Libya clouds that timetable, say officials.
By comparison, as of last month the U.S. had more than 4,700 tons of chemical weapons agents still awaiting destruction, specifically mustard and blister agents as well as the nerve agents VX and sarin. The Russian stockpile is even larger, at more than 20,000 tons.
The Libyans declared their country had produced only mustard gas.
“And the declaration on precursor chemicals (those used to make chemical warfare agents) was also only for mustard gas,” said Michael Luhan, a OPCW spokesman.
Some in U.S. intelligence, however, were never convinced that the Libyans limited their chemical weapons production to mustard gas.
“I don't know of anyone at the (Central Intelligence) Agency who was fully comfortable with the Libyans telling us everything we wanted to know,” said a former senior intelligence official. “The going assumption was they were lying whenever possible, and we were rarely proven wrong.”
Moreover, he said, U.S. intelligence believed that the Libyans had not been completely truthful on the quantity as well as the quality of the weapons. “We believed they were saving something for a rainy day.”
However, a current U.S. intelligence official said that while there was concern about nerve agents “because of the discovery of precursor chemicals,” it was only research and development.
“No one believed they were successful,” said the official. “Never a capability. Never actual stocks, just precursors. OPCW was concerned that Libya did not declare an R&D effort, but they didn’t.”
In addition to the stockpile, one inactivated chemical weapons production facility at Rabta, 60 miles south of Tripoli, was declared and has now been converted to a pharmaceutical plant, ironically, its original cover.
“The conversion is irreversible,” said Luhan.
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So thats where all of Saddam Husseins WMD program ended up...I guess bush, cheney and the rest of the chickenhawk liars may have been right...NOT
Now taking applications from anyone who wants to join mccain and go fight in libya...you missed out on iraq and afghanistan...don't blow this chance to be a tough guy
@Rick,
No one has ever produced any evidence that Sadaam did anything except destroy all WMD when he said he did. The rest is just propaganda.
Gadaffi has long has a chemical weapons program. We can determine what weapons they have by analyzing soil samples from as far as 30 miles from a production facility. There is nearly a 100% certainty that Gadaffi still has chemical weapons because of not just HUMINT, but because of retrieved soil samples. Because there is this proof of chemical weapons, there is an extreme suspicion that Gadaffi also has bacteriological weapons. Unfortunately, soil samples cannot be used to confirm this, so unless someone comes forward with very hard proof, it remains speculation. And there is also some suspicion that Gadaffi did not dismantle his nuclear program, but only quiesced it. The difference would be that this would still leave Gadaffi with the possibility of "dirty" bomb (non-nuclear) radiological weapons. CBR weapons have long been characterized as "poor mans' nukes" because they are inexpensive to make, easily concealed, and under the right circumstances just as effective.
yeah here we go again.... who cares what they have stockpiled. thats egypts problem not ours. they also have stockpiles of OIL under the desert GIMME THAT!
Saddam flew his jets to Iran to escape destruction.
(he should have known they would never be back).
There is not doubt in my mind that he sent WMDS to Libya and to Syria to evade detection.
It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out these motives.
Saddam DID have WMDS, (he just hought he was putting them in the "bank" )
We can now start Operation Libyan Oil Freedom. WMD are so convenient to invade to invade a country. Who cares if we never find them later. We can just say "Sorry" but keep the troops and contractors in there to make sure all natural resources are properly liberated. Hurray for imperialism!!! Maybe the CIA will choose a better candidate this time because they majorly screwed up last time with Ghadafi.
If Saddam moved all his WMDs around the Middle East, we knew about it. It is not about WMDs it is not about democracy, it's not about freedom! It's about OIL. It has always been about OIL it will always be about OIL!!! The first gulf war? Our soldiers died protecting the monarchy of Kuwait and their giant OIL fields. Iraq? Cheney and his dogs of war knew there were no WMDs, they wanted the Iraqi OIL fields.
Why haven't we invaded North Korea? They have tons of WMDs! No democracy there. No freedom there. And they are starving their own people. Oh wait!! NO OIL there!
As long as a country has substantial OIL reserves, we will be there! Our military has essentially become the private, international police force for the American (and British ) OIL industry!!!
Hey Bluelake - you are welcome to either stop using oil-based products immediately (good luck), or start voluntarily paying 3 times as much for them. Send the extra $ to the DoE to develop alternative fuels. It may not be right to fight for oil, but the bottom line is - without it, our (and by our, I mean INCLUDING YOU) standard of living depends on it.
@Bluelake-
Did you miss your history lesson about North Korea? The korean war was never officially declared over, it's in a stalemate status. As far as why haven't we gone in to topple the communist govt, they are backed by China. Kind of hard to do anything when China will step in to defend its neighbor.
So, back to your oil statement, where is it? Where's the ocean of Iraqi oil that we supposedly went in for? And, in case you don't remember, the first Gulf War was fought by a coalition of nations to kick Saddam out of Kuwait, which he invaded.
If you're going to make an opinionated statement, you should back it up with fact.
I have always been convinced that Saddam later moved WMDs for safekeeping to Syria. And it turns
out to be Libya. GWB has been vindicated in the Middle East.
Hey Tom--You are right. We are all pathetically dependent on carbon based fuels. I acknowledge that and I @!$%#ing hate being an addict. But can we do just one thing? Can we stop all these bull@!$%# lies and rationalizations about our reasons for being in the middle east? This crap about protecting the people, about sweet, sweet democracy and wanting freedom for the people of the middle east? Its crap and you know it! Just be honest! We are there to protect the profits of giant corporations and secure our standard of living! Just like you said.
Kepler-- Like most Americans you are terribly ignorant about true world history. Korea was never a war! It was a police action. Never resolved, we are still dealing with serious problems there.
You say nothing about our motivations in Iraq. Just because we were not able to steal the oil doesn't mean we didn't try. With my own eyes I saw Cheney say that one of the reasons we invaded was because..." they sit on the second largest known oil reserve in the middle east."
And finally... Just why the hell do we care whether Saddam invaded Kuwait. To protect the Kuwaiti royal family? No! To keep him from the Kuwaiti oil and ultimately the oil fields of Saudi Arabia. Get you head out of your ass Mr. Laws of Planetary Motion!!!
Bluelake YOU don't know squat about history.
The Korean War WAS a war.
The US involvement was a police action.
Oh, and no one is out to steal oil.
We want to protect it so we can BUY it.
The rules play out like this.
You buy all the other guys resources, before you use your OWN.
That my friend, is the name of the game.
wow, Bluelake, you make Oliver Stone seem like a conservative...and to say Korea was never a war is the same as saying Vietnam was never a war. Tell that to the 50k that died in Vietnam and the 30K that died in Korea. Never declared legally - yes. Not a war??? You've got to be kidding. Just because Truman said it was a police action, (He was the only one that said that...not the UN, not the North Koreans, not the south Koreans and certainly not the Chinese), doesn't mean it wasn't considered a war. Millions displaced, hundreds of thousands dead on both sides, including civilians....and you minimize the entire episode. You're the one that needs to re-read your history, pal.
bluelake you are aware that we don't get any oil from Libya right?
Oh no. Here we go again: They're playing the WMD card.
Next we'll be hearing Obama say he doesn't want the next smoking gun to be a mushroom cloud over Kokomo, Indiana so we'd better invade.
Hey..what an opportunity!! WMD's !!! Now we can invade Libya and set up a Democracy and overthrow a Military elected for life leader with BLOOD on his hands...Oh, wait..didn't we do that somewhere already..Well, at least we can increase the amount of ground troops and spend Billions of our GREAT EXCESS of cash on a NO FLY ZONE....All of those new Troops will also cut down on unemployment and increase Military spending..We are running out of $500.00 HAMMERS....GO FOR IT Mr. President!!!!!!
Looks like Bamahas run out of CHANGE, and will resort to the Bush proven, scare em and screw em routine. Go hide under yor bed, because the evil ones are coming, and don't forget to vote for Bama or the country is doomed. Not an honest word spoken by any of elected officials.
Obama is also an elected official is he not?
No, Ronny, he's an emperor now.
Yes, lets go in and tell the people that it is to help the people of Libya and to get the WMDs. Then when Obama doesn't find any, he can blame it on Bush!
I myself think that we have a golden opportunity to foster the support of an eventual Mediterranean Arab democracy if we were just to supply them with modern weaponry and let them do the lion's share of their own fighting. All that the opposition needs is the military ability to blockade Tripoli by land and our Navy as well as other European navies can blockade Tripoli by sea. A few well aimed cruise missiles should be enough to take-out Gaddafi's ability to wage modern warfare and continue to feed Tripoli's two million residents, and over time we can greatly weaken him with little military effort of our own then starve him out. Without his oil exports and without access to all of his cash in foreign banks, and without the ability to continue to feed his two million loyal subjects in Tripoli, Gaddafi's ability to wage war on his own people will be gradually reduced, and we stand to gain if we manage to foster democracy in Libya, even if we have to eat the costs of doing so in the short term. Who knows, perhaps the new Libyan democracy would be willing to part with a naval or air base if we agree to help them?
Ok Liberals time to step up. Obama isn't going to listed to conservatives, but if somebody doesn't open their mouth Obama is going to take our military in there. This is phase two (after selling us on how inhuman Gadhafi is and how abusive he is to his own people), the WMD phase. Step up liberals, let him know he's done in 2012 if he does this. Time's runnning out.
tidho--What? The Conservatives have finally found a war they don't want to get involved in? President Obama told the country that he would step it up in Afghanistan--and he did. While I find it flawed logic to continue down this failed path of imperialism, he's not indicated any more than humanity aid and a no fly zone. My opinion--stay out of it.
He is done anyway.
Yep...he is toast...President Palin soundin good right about now!
Don't worry about Obama invading Libya. He is to busy helping Mexicans invade ours.
I think I've heard this one before...don't bother going all the way to the punch line, as I'm pretty sure I know how it turns out (stop me if I'm wrong: hundreds of thousands of innocent foreign civilians dead/wounded/homeless, US military stuck in a quagmire; US taxpayers stuck in the collective kiester, public trust in shambles, a select few grow insanely wealthy as a result)...no, it wasn't particularly funny or even interesting the first time around, as I recall.
What made you think we'd want to revisit that tired old chestnut? Oh, it has some new lipstick on now....
Right.
In the back rooms, "Libya has oil". "Have to careful this time, they're probably not so stupid by now. We already have two wars going". Word goes out. Softly the war drums begin to beat!!
If those bastards, in the White House, want to foist yet another bogus war, upon this this (once) great nation, then I say send Obama, Pelosi, Reid... & EVERY other so-called public servant over to Libia to fight it!!!
Why would we do that? We didn't send Bush, Cheney and Rummy anywhere...
Send the tea party instead, it'll confuse the crap out of Gadhafi.
If they want to be leaders, give them a helmet and a rifle, and let our elected liars lead the charge.
I don't think anyone in the WH wants to conduct another illegal, pre-emptive war. That's a given. However, we may want to send the Westboro Baptists to Libya to carry their laminated signs in Tripoli. What is really needed is to provide humanitarian aid, such as weapons and ammunition to the opposition. The Westboro's can help with such a mission.
Which leads to advisers, etc, etc, etc......
Funny how you only name Democrats - I recall several Republicans saying we weren't doing enough and needed to step-up *ahem* McCain.
ADS8o--they don't really care either way. The right is poised to pounce either way--hypocrites.
Joey, you mean in precisely the same way that Dubya, Cheney, Rummy, et al went to fight in Iraq and brought along their entire families, esp putting their kids in uniform and handing them a semi-automatic rifle? That's what you meant, right? Just seeking a bit of clarity, that's all.
@ADS80 - McCain is a RINO, (Republican In Name Only), - He's no more a Republican than Lieberman. ;-p
right you are, rick...
how convenient for the administration to "just now" find out about WMDs in a nation where some are wanting to intervene in light of recent troubles. give me a break! no legitimate journalist would have published such a moronic and blatantly self-serving claim, which, one supposes, is why we see it in the corporate media. if the U.S. war machine wants to invade Libya to seal up one of the last few corners of the globe not under its full domination, then at least don't insult our intelligence (once again) with such laughably bogus claims. Just admit you'll be doing it because you can and because you want to, and stop pretending it's because it's morally justified.
I hope this time around we make Lybia pay for our military expenses out of their vast oil reserves instead of sticking the bill to the American taxpayer (or just adding it to the defecit and calling it good).
I believe the article says that we've known about the WMDs for a long time (Of the 23 tons of mustard gas declared by the Libyans in 2004, only about 9.5 tons remain...) and they have an international oversight org watching them destroy their stockpile. Something about building an incinerator... This isn't new news, it's just more interesting because his people are revolting against him.
So do many countries and unless there is real evidence that they are being used, this is just another
flame fanning piece of steaming yellow journalistic crapola
and Chicken Crap!
Lindsay...I love your work...can you score me some stuff?
JUST what we needed to hear a madman has a huge way to kill his people with chemicals what is next????
Don't believe it.
Piffle, I say!
No need to start a whole new campaign against Lybia, all we need to do is just broaden the scope of operations to include it in with Iraq and Affyland..
After all this will be a world war soon and no country or area will be granted an exclusion...
Unfortunately No Son of a Gun, I believe you are right about the world war comment, things have been escalating and growing since 9/11 on many levels and while we are being told that troops are being brought home and the war is over, just peace keeping now, new troops are being sent over by the hundreds. Obama was vocal of how he didn't believe in sending out troops away to war in other countries but he is singing a different tune since he has been elected. I know this comment is from a dream world but when will a man's word mean something again?
Unfortunately, this is the world we live in. Once becoming President, you are privvy to info...that nobody else is privvy to...and that is usually what drives the agenda... What scares me is the inexperience currently at the White House...I mean this guy has done nothing...except community organizing. He was a state senator for two years and was runnng for Prez most of that time. Sure he's clean, articulate, and can read the hell out of a teleprompter, but do we want him making these kind of decisions? Not I...
...and Sarah Palin would be any better? How many years to get her degree? Doesn't even know what newspapers or magazines she reads? Sure, she is pretty to look at, but do we want her making these decisions? Not I...
Actually, Sarah Palin would be great as prez, and if needed can out shoot many in the military! And by the way, she was taken aback by the obviously stupid question she was asked about what she read up there in the middle of nowhere, like she was in the dark ages instead of another state! All you are really falling for the crap being shoveled about conservative canidates without even a thought. And I don't think I am reading things right. Since when is it ok for a liberal president to start a war or go into a country to "save the people against a leader that kills them with WMDs (chemical weapons)? Have you heard that before? Such hypocrisy is enough to make my head explode!
Obama is a black man but he is related to Dick Chenney. I bet he is exercising Dick part of him to think of moving military assets to mideast to transport Egyptian running away from democracy. what a joke. We are good at provoking and setting people up and then pretend we are out to propagate democracy and peace, using gun and wmd. Prediction, this will be the final nails to send us spiralling down to another depression and massive layoff.
Ah, give me a freak'n break. Enough with the lies, haven't we had enough with the WOMD mess. Unless we learned our lsessons and plant some there. We are famouse for that since we have such outstanding intellligence.
No, first we need to find some "yellow cake uranium" that does not exist, then we have to have the White House lie to the Secy of State so she can go before the UN and declare that we know they have WMD and are planning to use them, etc.
I kinda don't think that scenario is going to happen again. We may crank up a few drones and tarhet the palace, but no boots on the ground this time, not gonna happen.
I wonder if oil is a sweeter, cheaper crude with "Regime" change. I for one don't care who runs those countries over there. The countries that sell us oil now, will still sell us oil based on Spot Market pricing no matter what kind of government they have.
Here we go again!!! WMD!!! Oh My, we need to be the policemen of the world. Iraq part 2! or 3! or 4! next is Syria, then Lebanon, then .......
The Wall Street cronies are more evil than 100 armies, nuclear armories and endless supplies of chemical weapons.
Cancel your bank accounts with big banks and use credit unions.
........and that is the truth, i quit using them a long time ago.........I love my Credit Union.
If those bastards, in the White House, aim to foist another bogus war, upon this this once great nation, then I say send Obama, Pelosi, Reid... & EVERY other so-called public servant over to Libya to fight it!!!
You see, I thought it was those Bush Cheney people who initiated the military actions in Afganistan and Iraq. Imagine my surprise that it was actually Obama as you indicate. Maybe we can get that "Colon Polyp" guy to go to the UN and testify about WMD's. We better first ask that pulseless constant velocity external blood pump Cheney guy what he thinks since he is so trustworthy. Or we could ask that "Bomb Bomb Iran" Beachboy wannabe McCain since he appears to have never met a war he didn't like. John Boehner appears to have no opinion since he was busy crying and playing golf and Mitch McConnell was busy cleaning his waddle (is that how you spell it?) We can't ask anyone who is reasonable since they all got run out of office by those farside characters called the "Tea Party".
Anyone else tired of the lies coming from the tip of Satan?
Lindsay baby!!! You referring to osama-obama?
Col Mustard will already be going down in history as a crazy dictator that was more interested in how he looked in the mirror everyday than the welfare of the people he subjugated to sustain his hold on power. If Col Mustard decides to use chemical weapons on his own people, he will find himself at the bottom of the heap, with the likes of Stalin,Pol Pot and Saddam, and he will for ever in history be looked upon as mere scum. He needs to give it up. It's the only thing he can do now to save face and have any hope that his family will lead a normal life from here on out. Otherwise the Col Mustard story may soon be ending with Col Mustard being shot, with the gun in the Hall of Mirrors and all of the other guest will be cheering at his self inflicted demise.
So what is the big deal. We are not going in there, our top military is against it. So all you libs quit your Bitchen.
Who cares what they have. Take the oil fields from these idiots in the Miuddle-East since they are NOT able to manage them. And if they don't like it nuke 'em.
This entire article is based on comments from unidentified U.S. officials - just possibly the worst news sources imaginable - and as usual our crack news organizations are more interested in increased readership and scary headlines than in accurate (fully vetted) information for the benefit of the American public.
How can we as americans be so gullible?
The first thing we heard from Libya was the oil production numbers (1.6 million per day). Not much action on that.
Next it was the atrocities(?) committed commmited by ghadaffi. A little more action for the sympathy of the people being enslaved.
And now the piece de resistance, WMD. This worked so well in Iraq we should give it an encore performance in LIbya.
Really, do you think that anyone is buying this. It's all about oil!! Black gold!! Texas Tea.
Just another great chance for the oil companies to raise prices.
Why aren't we clamoring about the turmoil going on in Tunisia? Could it be that Tunisia produces about 6% of the oil produced in Libya?
Well let's leave Tunisia alone because they only produce about 0.12% of the world wide oil. At least for now.
Thias article is spewing a lot of potential threats, all seem to be coming from the CIA. Remember the guys who brought you Iraq's WMD.
When are we going to leave this area alone?
The americans fought for their freedom and a lot of lives were lost.
Now it is time for the rest of the world to fight, if they want freedom. The price of freedom is sadly blood
No more wars until we solve our own problems.
Of course all while Republicans continue to declare America Bankrupt, they're just chomping at the bit to attack another country, which of course would mean returning to the Republican practice of Borrowing From China and Spending on Wars.
Funny, Republicans can't find a bread crumb to offer their next door neighbor, but always manage to find a trillion dollars to start a war.
who is going hungry?
Funny thing AmericanGirl, the president is a Democrat! The Republicans are too busy trying to fix "the stupid" that has been in total control for the last couple years to go into another country to liberate the people. And, if you actually look at the stats, Republicans give twice as much to charities overall than the libs.
It is no secret that Gadhafi has amassed these weapons - after becoming more reclusive and paranoid in the aftermath of the Reagan ordered (and very effective) missile strikes. It seems apparent that Gadhafi intended his arsenal for defensive purposes rather than offensive. However, for the last few months, the world news media has magnified and glorified these MidEast "revolutions"; and in so doing has opened the door for much speculation and opportunistic power grabs. In Libya, the mercenaries were the first in the newly opened door. Europe is understandably unsettled by this fierce conflict and seeks harsh containment - and for that they have ALWAYS turned to the U.S. History is repeating itself and it is inevitable that we will get drawn in. It would be wonderful if one missile strike would produce the same results all these years later. Fast in and out -and it would be all over except for the cleanup.
Debra, why don't we just sit back and let 'self determination' run its course? If the people of the nations in the Middle East, or anywhere else for that matter, choose to alter the system under which they are governed, why is it that the United States feels some unwritten obligation to interfere?
debra
it was a secret to me about ghadaffi's WMD's. In retrospect it was also the same in Iraq. I don't know how all this stuff is getting by me. I guess I should be devoting 6 hrs a day to learn what is going on in Libya. And if I devoted such time it wouldn't be reading about it from our newspapers. Everything boils down to oil.
It's just bait to try to draw the United States into any fight so that stock prices will jump.
They already used this lie to invade Iraq. Don't fall for it again or they'll keep using it over and over again.
Debra in Dayton--"Reagan ordered (and very effective) missile strikes".
If they were effective, why was Gadhafi unharmed? Please illuminate us as to their positive effects. Then you can tell us how tripling the national debt was a cool thing to do.
sandtrich -- Right on!
I don't remember stock prices rising after the Iraq invasion.
sandtrich:
The missiles didn't get him, they got his 5 year old daughter instead.
WMD'S!?! YOU DON'T SAY?
Yeah--"insanity is doing the same thing over and over, and expecting different results!" We have been through this before and it just brought us bankruptcy. We are in trillion dollar wars on two fronts--let's just open another. Oh yes--let's just borrow more money for the ME/African quagmires! Time to learn from our mistakes!