- WASHINGTON: The Obama administration is debating how aggressively to pursue Libya’s vast weapons stores, including thousands of anti-aircraft rockets that experts fear could fall into the hands of terrorists or Libyan loyalists.
Two US officials say the State Department wants to wait until fighting stops before moving throughout Libya to secure fugitive leader Muammar Qaddafi’s weaponry. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive intelligence matters.
The officials say the White House has resisted calls to expand the CIA’s covert mission to help US diplomats track down the weaponry faster, just as it has ruled out deploying US troops. The administration wants NATO partners to do the job.
Intelligence officials fear the weapons will end up with Al-Qaeda, or Qaddafi loyalists, who will use them to keep fighting.
