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Helping Students Understand the Libyan Attack

On September 11, 2012, the U.S. ambassador to Libya and three other Americans were killed after protesters stormed the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya. Anti-American protests then erupted in many other countries. If you’re seeking ways to address these events in the classroom, try the discussion guide below.

The Facts

According to NBC News, Wanis al-Sharef, an Interior Ministry official in Benghazi, Libya, reported that a large mob stormed the U.S. consulate there. A witness said attackers fired automatic weapons and rocket-propelled grenades at the consulate as they clashed with Libyans hired to guard the facility.

What sparked the attack? Early reports indicated that “ultraconservative” Muslims became outraged when they learned that a film ridiculing Muhammad had been produced by Egyptian-born filmmaker Nakoula Basseley Nakoula, who was living in California and was on probation for financial crimes. Muslim law forbids any depictions of Muhammad, who is regarded as a prophet and considered the most important figure in the faith.

Subsequently, The New York Times reported that violent and in some cases deadly anti-American protests had spread to nearly 20 countries across the Middle East and beyond. This political instability in the Middle East may be an unintended consequence of America’s support of efforts to remove autocratic leaders from power in the region.

More than a week following the attack, the White House officially deemed it an act of opportunistic (but not spontaneous) "terrorism," according to NBC News.


Student Discussion Questions

  1. Where is Libya located?
  2. What is the current status of the Libyan government?
  3. What is the history of Libya’s relationship with the United States?
  4. How did the coup that ended with Moammar Gadhafi's death in 2011 contribute to the current political unrest that many view as contributing to the Libyan attack and associated anti-American protests? (For a discussion guide on political coups, see EducationWorld's Lesson Plan Booster: History of the Coup.)
  5. What is a consulate? What is a U.S. embassy? What does a U.S. ambassador do?
  6. According to international rules, an attack on a U.S. embassy on foreign soil is considered a direct attack on the United States. Do you think the U.S. will retaliate for the attack?
  7. Following the attack, President Barack Obama was quoted by NBC News as saying, “While the United States rejects efforts to denigrate the religious beliefs of others, we must all unequivocally oppose the kind of senseless violence that took the lives of these public servants.” Can the U.S. effectively condemn the attack while at the same time being respectful to Muslims? How?
  8. Why does the Muslim faith prohibit depictions of the prophet Muhammad?
  9. How do Muslims around the world vary in terms of their beliefs and practices?

 


Article by Jason Tomaszewski, EducationWorld Associate Editor
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