USA Africa Dialogue Series - Fwd: [Mwananchi] Re: American dies in Libya [EXTREMIST ISLAMIC MILITIAS STRIKE AGAIN]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Jupiter Punungwe
Date: Wed, Sep 12, 2012 at 11:41 AM
Subject: Re: [Mwananchi] Re: American dies in Libya
To: Mwananchi@yahoogroups.com, zimsite@yahoogroups.com, zimbabwe2@yahoogroups.com, padare@yahoogroups.com, munhumutapa@googlegroups.com

 

Pat

I have matured from being a baptized Anglican to being an atheist. As far as I am concerned there is no such thing as a holy cow in the world. One man's god can be another man's nyama (meat) (and I hope the Hindus won't lynch me because I love to barbeque their god).

While I am sensitive to other people's culture including the spiritual misconceptions they call religion, I find it disgusting that a life could be ended over such a frivolous matter.

Unfortunately that is how most religions work. They use intimidation sometimes psychological (you will go to hell!!) and sometimes outright violence, as in this case, or insults (pagan, heretic, godless, condemned) to prevent freethinking people from questioning what are nothing more than unsubstantiated claims by religious leaders. Religious leaders are often motivated by the simple fact that there is a lot to be materially gained by having the people around you think that you are very important.

Nobody should ever have the right to end a life over such unproven claims.

Like I said, politicians do things simply because it is not their lives on the line.

Jupiter

On 12 September 2012 11:11, Patricia <paanderson2003@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:

Jupiter,
I've just read this sad news. Like you, I don't think outside interference was the right thing to do, I'm also unsure if Gaddafi would have agreed to it, in fact he said at the time he wouldn't. In any new situation it will take time for adjustment. I had a call from out friend in Sirt last week, I don't ask questions over the phone, just enquire about the safety of him and his family. Salem did say, "what is happening in Libya is going to take time."
Sending in diplomats and staff from overseas may have been premature. The killing of the American official and wounding of another is said to be because of a film which shows The Prophet in a negative way.
Pat.

--- In Mwananchi@yahoogroups.com, Jupiter Punungwe <punungwe@...> wrote:
>
> Have you ever noticed one remarkable thing - the naivete of politicians
> never costs them their own lives.
>
> Everybody knows that ever since the NATO sponsored distabilization that
> ousted Gadhaffi, Libya is now a very dangerous banana republic with very
> little central authority and crank-pot militias getting emboldened by the
> day. Some of us warned of exactly that scenario when we referred to the
> country as Somalibya.
>
> Politicians wanting to maintain the facade the Libya is now a better
> country (to try and cover up their mistake of destabilizing the country)
> send in staff as if they are sending them to a normal peaceful country.
> What is the result, one of the staff members gets hacked to death.
>
> If Hilary Clinton and Barack Obama send condolences to this man's family it
> is only but crocodile tears.
>
> They should have allowed a negotiated and peaceful transition in Libya, it
> was possible and could have have been achieved. Even if the outcome was not
> very predictable and would not have pleased everyone I can vouch my last
> penny that, whatever outcome from peaceful negotiations would have been a
> hundred times better than what we have in Libya now.
>
> I would like to extend my condolences to the family of the American (whose
> name I have do not know as yet) who, like millions of Libyans, is a victims
> of his country's naivette and foolish tinkering.
>
> Jupiter
> http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-19562692
>
> =======================================================
> US official dies in Libya consulate attack in Benghazi
>

> No-one was said to have been in the building when it was set on fire
> Continue reading the main

> story<http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-19562692#story_continues_1>
> Libya Crisis
>
>    - Has Libya bucked Islamist
> trend?<http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-18895335>
>    - Curse of Sirte? <http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-16961376>
>    - Ex-rebels reluctant to down
> arms<http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-16443441>
>    - Amazigh demand recognition<http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-16289543>

>
> A US state department official was killed and at least one other American
> was wounded when militiamen stormed the US consulate in the eastern Libyan
> city of Benghazi.
>
> It is believed the protest was held over a US-produced film that is said to
> be insulting to the Prophet Muhammad.
>
> Armed men raided the compound with grenades before setting it on fire.
>
> On Tuesday, protesters against the film breached the walls of the US
> embassy in the Egyptian capital, Cairo.
>
> In the attack in Benghazi, unidentified armed men stormed the grounds,
> shooting at buildings and throwing handmade bombs into the compound.
> Continue reading the main

> story<http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-19562692#story_continues_2>

> Analysis
> Rana JawadBBC News, Tripoli
>
> This has been one of the most serious attacks in Libya against a foreign
> mission. The situation is now said to be calm.
>
> The identities of the assailants at the US consulate are nearly as obscure
> as the home-made low-budget movie that is believed to have sparked the
> violent and deadly affair.
>
> Initial claims made by residents in Benghazi and at least one official
> blamed the Islamist Ansar al-Sharia brigade. As the attack unfolded it was
> said that a range of different armed men were involved, including members
> of that brigade.
>
> Whoever is responsible knows all too well the weakness of the central
> government in confronting an attack on this scale. It's been a challenge
> for the transitional authorities, not least because they have no proper
> army in place yet.
>
> They are still reliant on some regional brigades and local militias to help
> them impose their authority in times of crisis.
>
> Security forces returned fire but Libyan officials say they were
> overwhelmed.
>
> "One American official was killed and another injured in the hand. The
> other staff members were evacuated and are safe and sound," Libya's deputy
> interior minister Wanis al-Sharif told AFP news agency.
>
> The identity of the US official killed is not yet known. The consular
> worker was reported to have been shot.
> Social media calls
>

> In a statement<http://statedept.tumblr.com/post/31380336590/statement-by-secretary-clinton-on-the-attack-in>,

> Secretary of State Hillary Clinton confirmed the death, saying: "We are
> heartbroken by this terrible loss".
>
> "Some have sought to justify this vicious behaviour as a response to
> inflammatory material posted on the Internet," she said in a statement.
>
> "The United States deplores any intentional effort to denigrate the
> religious beliefs of others. But let me be clear: There is never any
> justification for violent acts of this kind."
>
> Reports say a militia known as the Ansar al-Sharia brigade was involved in
> the attack, but the group has denied the claim, the BBC's Rana Jawad in
> Tripoli says.
> Continue reading the main

> story<http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-19562692#story_continues_3>

> "Start Quote[image: Car on fire in Benghazi]
>
> There is never any justification for violent acts of this kind"
>
> Hillary ClintonUS Secretary of State
>

>    - In pictures: US film protests in North
> Africa<http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-19567319>

>
> Our correspondent says many people are still armed following the conflict
> that overthrew Col Muammar Gaddafi last year.
>
> The film that sparked the demonstration is said to have been produced by a
> 52-year-old US citizen from California named Sam Bacile, and promoted by an
> expatriate Egyptian Copt.
>
> The two men are described as having anti-Islamic views.
>
> A trailer of the low-budget movie has appeared on YouTube translated into
> Arabic.
>
> There were calls on social media networks for protests against US interests
> in the capital, Tripoli, but no disturbances have been confirmed, our
> correspondent says.
> Obama criticised
>
> The rally followed a demonstration in Cairo, in which protesters breached
> the US embassy and tore down the United States flag, which was flying at
> half mast to mark the 9/11 attacks, and replaced it with an Islamist banner.
>
> Thousands of protesters had gathered outside the US embassy in the Egyptian
> capital.
>

> In Cairo, the US embassy flag was torn down
>
> Egyptian protesters condemned what they said was the humiliation of the
> Prophet of Islam under the pretext of freedom of speech.
>
> "Both Muslims and Christians are participating in this protest against this
> offence to Islam," said one protester, according to Associated Press news
> agency.
>
> US Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney criticised President
> Barack Obama for his response to the protests.
> "It's disgraceful that the Obama administration's first response was not to
> condemn attacks on our diplomatic missions, but to sympathise with those
> who waged the attacks," he said in a statement.
>
> --
> =========================================

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>
> "...those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter
> consequences that are extremely painful." Cicero, 45 BC
>
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