Beyond religion in the Middle East

[rug]

Violence in Egypt and Libya is more about local politics than Islam.

Mimi Hanaoka
September 13, 2012

The chaotic violence that killed U.S. Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens and three American staffers in Libya, and that resulted in a mob storming the U.S. Embassy in Cairo, has been garbed in religious language and references. However, the religious rhetoric from all corners distracts from the real issues: serious domestic political fragmentation in Libya and Egypt in the aftermath of the Arab Spring, and America's place in the region.

Media attention has focused on a polemic 14-minute movie trailer for "Innocence of Muslims" posted on YouTube, which prompted protests in Benghazi and Cairo. The film was allegedly produced by Sam Bacile, who has identified himself as an Israeli Jew. In the Wall Street Journal, Bacile called Islam a "cancer" and claimed he raised $5 million from about 100 Jewish donors to fund the film, details that only intensify the film's polemic power.

The trailer, translated into Arabic and viewed thousands of times in the Middle East, portrays the prophet Muhammad as, among other things, a child abuser. Florida pastor and provocateur Terry Jones, who burned the Koran in 2011, claims to have screened the film; a self-described Christian militant in California claims to have consulted on it.

As news reports, punditry and Internet reactions fly, the violent response to the trailer in Libya and Egypt will undoubtedly be portrayed as generic Muslim rage rooted in a theology that inspires a special rage and hatred against the West. If more demonstrations erupt in Muslim countries after Friday prayers, there will be further temptation to understand any protests as primarily religious in nature.

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-hanaoka-embassy-islamist-assassination-20120913,0,7645392.story

[cbayer]

1. Interesting take. Basically she is saying this is much more about politics than it is

about religion, which should not be surprising.

[rug]

2. An extremist group uses a film for political reasons.

Romney uses this extremist group's actions for political reasons.

Consternation ensues.

[pinto]

3. I'd add local economies to that, as well. Unemployment is apparently an enourmous strain,

particularly in Libya and Yemen. Coupled with political fragmentation and the lack of any coherent central government helps create a tinderbox.

[dimbear]

4. Of course. It's just another coincidence that Islam and bad government are practical synonyms.

Strange how many coincidences dog the religious world.

[rug]

5. No more of a coincedence than republicans and bad government are synonyms.