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Libya possesses CW and in the 1980s tried to extend the range of its missiles
to target Israel and possibly southern-European allies of the United States.
Libya has supported terrorist acts against the United States, such as the
destruction of Pan Am flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland in 1988. The United
Nations imposed economic sanctions against Libya for this act in April 1992.
In response to a Libyan-backed terrorist bombing of a West German discotheque
in April 1986 that killed three, including two U.S. servicemen, and wounded
230 people, the United States bombed Tripoli, the Libyan capital, in an apparent
attempt to assassinate Libyan leader Muammar Quaddafi. The United States considers
Libya to be a state
sponsor of international terrorism.
In recent years, Libya has sought to improve relations with the United
States and the international community, and it has not been accused of
supporting terrorist attacks during the past decade. Among other actions, in
April 1999, Libya handed over for trial two Libyan citizens accused of
masterminding the Pan Am flight 103 disaster. This concession led the UN to
suspend trade sanctions against Libya. In January 2001, a Dutch court tried and convicted
one of the two accused Libyans.
Libya - Options:
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Further Reading:
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U.S. Dept. of Defense, Proliferation
Threat and Response (pages 56-59 on the screen) |
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CSIS, Anthony H. Cordesman, "Weapons
of Mass Destruction in the Middle East: Regional Trends, National Forces,
Warfighting Capabilities, Delivery Options, and Weapons Effects" |
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CIA,
The Worldwide Threat 2004:
Challenges in a Changing Global Context |
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CNS,
"Libya and Nonproliferation" |
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Carnegie
Endowment,
Libya |
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U.S. State Department,
"U.S. Praises Libya for Eliminating its Weapons of Mass Destruction" |
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FAS, "Libya
Special Weapons" |
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WMD 411, Limiting Use of WMD: Sanctions |
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WMD 411 Bibliography, The
Middle East |
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