Gaddafi Arming “Volunteers”

Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi may now be arming a “volunteer” civilian army, according to Vice Admiral William Gortney, the Director of the Joint Chiefs.

“Gaddafi has virtually no air defense left to him and a diminishing ability to  command and sustain forces on the ground,” Gortney said during a briefing at the Pentagon Friday. “We received reports today that he has taken to arming what he calls ‘volunteers’ to fight the opposition.”

Gortney added that he could not confirm if the new forces were actually volunteers. In the past, Gaddafi has appeared to have relied upon mercenaries. During the initial days of unrest in his country last month, reports indicated that hired a cadre of foreign fighters from across Africa.