Availability of terrorist weapons
- Ease of access to sophisticated weapons
- Unaccountability of sale of surface-to-air missiles
Incidence
Three-quarters of the 1,000 or more Stinger missiles, given by the CIA to the Islamic mujaheddin rebels to assist their "democratic opposition" during Afghanistan's civil war, are unaccounted for. The shoulder-held missiles are guided by a system that homes in on the heat of a jet engine from a range of almost five kilometres, and can easily result in the destruction of passenger jets. Not one could be recovered when the USA afterwards tried to reclaim the unused missiles, on a buy-back arrangement using a special $10 million emergency fund. It is believed the Afghan rebels sold them elsewhere (the missiles could be acquired at exhorbitantly swollen prices in neighbouring Pakistan). Some were known to have been acquired by Iranians.
Broader
Aggravates
Aggravated by
Related
Strategy
Value
SDG
Metadata
Database
World problems
Type
(F) Fuzzy exceptional problems
Biological classification
N/A
Subject
Fundamental sciences » Mechanics
Transportation, telecommunications » Aviation
Commerce » Merchants
Defence » Arms
Defence » Espionage, subversion
Content quality
Yet to rate
Language
English
1A4N
J1392
DOCID
12013920
D7NID
147512
Last update
Dec 3, 2024