Originally published on the CGS blog on September 13, 2012.
The violent protests against a U.S.-based film that started in Egypt last Tuesday continue to spread throughout the Arab world. The most notable of these occurred outside the U.S. embassy in Libya, where four American diplomats lost their lives. Anti-American demonstrations have also been reported in Yemen, Tunisia, Morocco, Sudan, and Gaza City.
Among the four Americans lost, was the U.S. Ambassador to Libya, Chris Stevens. Ambassador Stevens was a career diplomat who was committed to working with the Libyan people. He was the American envoy to the revolutionaries during the uprising in Libya, and helped bring down Moammar Gadhafi. Ambassador Stevens embodied what it truly means to be a diplomat. He was passionate about building a relationship between the United States and Libya, and cared about the people, not just the politics. He helped free the Libyan people, and his death is a tragedy for American diplomacy.
Among those killed, was also U.S. Foreign Service Information Management Officer Sean Smith. Smith was assigned to Libya on a temporary mission. Our diplomats overseas are more than just our representatives or negotiators; they are our peacemakers, our community builders, our innovators, and our trailblazers. They commit their lives to serving the greater good.
The motivation from these protests came from a film produced in America, called the Innocence of Muslims. The film was a gross depiction of the prophet Mohamed, who is characterized in the film as a child molester and womanizer, among other things. The film is insulting to say the least, but such depictions are considered more than insulting in the Muslim world, where they do not have the same notions about free speech. However, the film was widely unknown to the American population before the events last Tuesday. It was not being shown in our movie theaters or advertised on our television networks.
Still, this obscure film inspired Islamic groups within several countries to set U.S. embassies ablaze, and tear down American flags. It is not just the American people who are confused as to where this film came from, but the cast and crew themselves. In interviews, cast members have stated that they were unaware of the intent of the film and do not even remember a Prophet Mohamed in the original script. It is said that the Producer, thought to be Israeli-American Sam Bacile, misled the crew and re-edited the film.
It is sad and unjust that the actions of one person would lead to the death of American diplomats and the maligning of the United States. In a moment of anger, protestors confused a little-known film motivated by one individual and the United States government as a whole. While the film’s offensive attitude towards Muslims is ill-advised, nothing justifies taking the lives of innocent diplomats trying to promote peace and democracy abroad. The Obama Administration has said that the U.S. will work with the governments of these countries to bring the groups behind these killings to justice.
