Regular citizens — residents of the "liberated" areas — took up arms and formed a ragtag, highly enthusiastic but highly undisciplined force that in the past weeks has charged ahead to fight Gadhafi forces, only to be beaten back by superior firepower. Regular army units that joined the rebellion have proven stronger, more organized fighters, but only a few units have joined the battles while many have stayed behind as officers struggle to get together often antiquated, limited equipment and form a coordinated force.
As I assumed, there must be a lot of material in captured depots, but it isn't in working order. Getting technicians and spare parts into Libya could help those officers gather the equipment they need to form organized units and stiffen those armed civilians posing as an army.
The Libyan rebels need an army. And if the Europeans and Egyptians won't provide it, the rebels need to build it. A military services company and outside special forces could help with this job.
UPDATE: This Reuters article does a good job discussing a lot of the issues I have raised related to the ground forces involved and the limits of air power. Kudos to Peter Graff and company who wrote the piece.
