Gaddafi arms Libyan 'home guard' – minimum age 17

[alp227]

Source: The Guardian

Muammar Gaddafi is arming Libyan 17-year-olds to build a "home front" against Nato military intervention and the possibility of rebels from the east of the country reaching largely loyalist towns and cities in the west.

As part of the drive towards an unofficial civilian army, the government is releasing thousands of AK-47 assault rifles into communities and is organising classes in the use of weapons.

At a women's training centre in the town of Sbia, 30 miles south of Tripoli, young women crowded round a trestle table as a soldier wearing camouflage fatigues and thick red lipstick demonstrated how to field-strip and reassemble the guns.

Officials said the minimum age for weapons training was 17, although the centre was crowded with girls as young as seven who were schooled in loyalist chants and waving portraits of Gaddafi.

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/apr/27/gaddafi-arms-17-libyan-nato

[Xithras]

1. Sounds like this is going to get much messier.

When the rebels entered Sirte, they were immediately and consistenly fired upon by civilians shooting from their homes. It sounds like Gaddafi wants to make sure that happens in all of the areas where support for him is high.

As for the minimum age, we can't really call him out on that...since kids in the U.S. can join the military, get weapons training, and face deployment at 17 as well. All they need is a GED and signatures from both of their parents.

[Lasher]

2. Minimum age 17, like the US military.

But I'm sure the headline sold some papers.

[Arctic Dave]

3. Exactly.

I joined the military at 17 after I grduated early from HS. No biggie.