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The situation in Libya is very serious, and lives are at stake. But let's put that aside for a moment. I noticed this in the New York Times:
As night fell, the opposition fighters set up a defensive position outside of Bin Jawwad. Others wandered aimlessly around the Bin Jawwad checkpoint, firing guns in the air, this time, out of frustration, or boredom.I have no idea whether it's an accurate portrayal of the situation, but every time I see the rebels on TV, they're firing their guns in the air. Take a city? Celebrate by firing in the air! Lose a city? Express your frustration by firing in the air! Bored? Fire your guns in the air! I'm no military strategist, but isn't that a giant waste of ammunition?The rebels' lack of military training and organization is a serious problem as they attempt to defeat an actual army. Perhaps as a first step toward professionalizing things, their leaders might tell them to put aside what this classic Onion article called a "rich tradition of vertical marksmanship" and start acting more like real soldiers.
