Widely distributed technological expertise makes all sorts of things possible.

Typically, Do-It-Yourselfers frequent hardware stores, lumber-yards, and work in their basements, garages, and other workshops. They build things – bookshelves, computers, etc. Henry Ford built his first cars – Model A’s – on his farm Ford Motor Co. Steve Wozniak built the Apple I in Steve Jobs’ parents garage. Apple.

They also build revolutions. Engineers in Libya have been experimenting with mounting machine guns on remote control toys. They are also cleaning and using weapons they capture from Gadafi forces. Fire Arm Blog, Nifty Remote Weapons, Weaponomics.  See also “DIY Weapons of the Libyan Rebels,” on the website of The Atlantic magazine.

Technological parity coupled with a will to defend yourself and your family or people wins wars – which we have seen in the American Revolution, the Arab-Israeli wars of 1948, ’56, ’67, and ’73, Viet Nam, the Afghan war against the Soviet Union.

This bodes well for the people of Libya, but does not bode well for the forces of Muammar Qaddafi.