
DIY Weapons of the Libyan Rebels - MatrixBai
http://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/2011/06/diy-weapons-of-the-libyan-rebels/100086/#
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norova
The Toyota Hilux - one amazing pickup truck. It still makes me laugh a bit to
see all of the various uses people find for that vehicle and all of the
ridiculous situations[1] it finds itself in. Hell, it even has a war named
after it.[2]

[1]: <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_Hilux#Reputation> [2]:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_War>

~~~
Griever
Top Gear had an excellent several-part episode which illustrated just how
ridiculously well built these things are.

<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xnWKz7Cthkk>

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thaumaturgy
Interesting article -- somewhat less "DIY" than "salvaged", but still
interesting.

Also interesting how, all other politics aside, we're not likely to see such
an article detailing the improvised weapons of Iraqi Rebels.

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templaedhel
Related: [http://www.newsweek.com/2010/10/14/why-rebel-groups-love-
the...](http://www.newsweek.com/2010/10/14/why-rebel-groups-love-the-toyota-
hilux.html)

Although that article is in reference Afganistan mainly, it's interesting to
see how prevelent the Toyota trucks are for the rebels here as well.

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softbuilder
I was puzzled that the UB-32 rocket launchers have English instructions
printed on them instead of Arabic. The CIA World Factbook does say that
Arabic, Italian, and English are all understood in the major cities. Still
surprising.

~~~
zokier
I was surprised by that too. I would have excepted Russian instructions
instead of Arabic though. Maybe all (official) Russian exports have English
text?

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kstenerud
English is the new lingua-franca.

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tybris
Hopefully they don't get too good at this. It's rare that a revolutionary army
can lay down its weapons after the war. The French thought it would be fun to
"liberate" the rest of Europe after their revolution.

<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Revolutionary_Wars>

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ms4720
well America did it pretty well

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tybris
?

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ms4720
Well after the American Revolution was finished, we stopped. There was the
whiskey rebellion but it was a small affair. ie after the revolution we
actually got something better and stable. only one civil war in +200 yeas not
a bad record.

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nasmorn
The native americans would object to your theory. I think the only difference
was that America was plenty big and the people killed there didn't survive in
significant enough numbers in America today so their view of the whole affair
doesn't concern many people nowadays.

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dmix
Bad time to give the peace sign when holding 8 rockets in your arms.

[http://cdn.theatlantic.com/static/infocus/libyarebel061411/s...](http://cdn.theatlantic.com/static/infocus/libyarebel061411/s_r16_RTR2NJJK.jpg)

~~~
billybob
When the person in picture #3 makes that sign, it is described as the "victory
sign." I imagine that's what the guy holding the rockets meant, too.

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hugh3
Both the "peace" and "V for victory" signs have the palm facing forwards.
That's a "fuck you" sign, at least where I'm from.

I'm not from Libya though.

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pbhjpbhj
From [http://www.icons.org.uk/theicons/collection/the-v-
sign/biogr...](http://www.icons.org.uk/theicons/collection/the-v-
sign/biography/v-for-victory)

"The Churchillian gesture

Winston Churchill took up the Victory campaign enthusiastically, and made a V
sign with his fingers whenever a camera was pointed at him, his palm facing in
both directions. This dismayed his private secretary, John Colville. In
September 1941, Colville wrote in his diary, ''The PM will give the V-sign
with two fingers in spite of representations repeatedly made to him that this
gesture has quite another significance.''

Churchill was eventually persuaded to use only the palm forwards gesture."

There are images of Churchill using both gestures.

I don't think one can be entirely sure of the intention though general body
language and facial expression usually will carry which meaning is intended.

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aninteger
It seems that there is a lot of left over ammo all over the place or are they
creating their own ammo? At what point of do the Qaddafi forces run out of
cash to keep funding this war.

Also, love all the Toyotas.

~~~
colonelxc
I think it is mostly captured, except for the moltov coctails and the refilled
RPG that they showed. They did show that they were taking the time to get the
rust off of ammunition. You probably wouldn't do that if you had means to
produce it in quantity.

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majmun
Related: [http://defensetech.org/2011/06/14/libyan-rebels-diy-
weapons-...](http://defensetech.org/2011/06/14/libyan-rebels-diy-weapons-
factory-robots-and-all/)

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athst
This is the makings for a hit show on Discovery channel or TLC

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fletchowns
Seems like kind of an insensitive thing to say, given that there are people
dying over there.

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athst
What's wrong with saying that? I'm just commenting that it's fascinating to
see what they are coming up with. Obviously it's just an idea, but if there
actually was a show or documentary or something, it would help them get there
message out a lot more easily.

~~~
fletchowns
Information about the Libyan rebels has been on the frontpage of the news for
weeks, I don't think a cable TV show is what they need right now. Their
message is definitely out there, and it's being echoed by top US officials.
Just a few days ago Hillary Clinton addressed the AU urging them to join in
the call for Gaddafi to step down. While it is fascinating (and frightening)
to see what these people are going through, I don't think a show on the
Discovery Channel about how to refurbish and modify weapons seized from the
military is an appropriate thing to talk about. If you want to talk about the
journalists and the difficulties they face when trying to document events like
these, that's fine.

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bdunbar
Interesting from a DIY point of view.

Also interesting that the battlespace is being prepared for boots on the
ground intervention by - among other things - getting the home front in the
mood for intervention by showing plucky rebels with home built ordnance.

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notahaxor
Anybody know what type of rifle is pictured in #25? Is it some sort of strange
P90 variant?

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aarongough
It's an FN F2000 (<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FN_F2000>)

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config_yml
#25 looks like a brand new F2000 from FN Herstal. Is there any similar report
on Qaddafi's left over arsenal?

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Tuna-Fish
Gaddafi has a lot of money, and his army always came first. The equipment of
his elite troops is the best money can buy.

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aresant
I have similar pictures in albums from my childhood.

Same look of mad scientist engineering delight, damn lucky to be born in
America where instead of machining artillery ammo I'm building forts, water
balloon launchers, and other weapons of low destruction.

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gnufs
Here's the Al Jazeera's video coverage of how the DIY weapons are made:
[http://english.aljazeera.net/video/africa/2011/06/2011614112...](http://english.aljazeera.net/video/africa/2011/06/201161411201323416.html)

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zwieback
Hopefully all this engineering ingenuity will be put to good use in peaceful
times.

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niels_olson
The first image, with the flag-painted rocket launcher, suggests morale is
high.

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philthy
That aircraft missile launcher mounted on that truck bed has to be terribly
dangerous, either the back blast or recoil could easily roll that truck.

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turbojerry
If they don't put a blast panel on the cab they could fry the occupants, it
has happened before.

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lysol
At least in all of the pictures, there are no occupants in the cab.

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bdunbar
Not after the first time it was fired.

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JulianMorrison
It's like the A-team for real.

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gubatron
nice free intel work done for the Libyan government this very detailed gallery
of the Rebel's arsenal.

~~~
lysol
I'm sure this is information they already had. If anything, it makes them look
more organized.

