Hidden messages in the events in Libya

It was also reminiscent of the way the dead bodies of soldiers from the US helicopter shot down in Somalia in 1993 were dragged through the streets in Mogadishu. A terrible provocation; images unbefitting of Muslims.

As for the very provocative film and the bloody uprisings it has sparked, these bring to mind a number of possible different scenarios.

One of the first thoughts that came to many people’s minds was that the attack might have been part of a larger plan to prevent the re-election of US President Barack Obama in November -- rather similar to what happened to former President Jimmy Carter many decades ago.

The second possible scenario is more frightening: that Libya could be turned into a second Somalia and that the arrival of any sort of stability in the region could be prevented. The current situation in Libya does elicit serious worries that this could in fact be the scenario we see unfolding. Everywhere you go in the world, US ambassadors and embassies are protected better even than some presidents and their presidential palaces. This is especially true in countries throughout the Middle East.

All of which means that what unfolded in Benghazi shows that Libya faces some serious risks. Even though there were democratic elections there in recent weeks, it is clear that the country will not be left to develop on its own. Instability in Libya would affect, first and foremost, the most powerful country in the immediate region, Egypt. The fast return of Egypt to the world stage makes some other global powers very uncomfortable. Other regional countries such as Tunisia, Morocco and Algeria also face great risks because of this instability.

A third possible scenario is that Christians in Egypt and in other regional countries are being made into more of a target than they already are, thus preparing the groundwork for Western countries to intervene even more. Throughout the entire Arab Spring process, there has already been a great deal of misinformation about the pressure placed on Christians in the region, especially in Egypt.

It is alleged that every day thousands of Coptic Christians leave the country and flee to Western countries. And it has become practically normal to read news in the West about how the Muslim Brotherhood is setting up a Shariah system that won’t allow Christians any rights.

Most of these sorts of allegations are, of course, without any basis of truth. The Coptic population that lives in the US in particular makes a great effort to ruin the image of Egypt in the world. It is not surprising to hear names from this Coptic diaspora involved in the film that is said to have sparked the events in Libya. At the same time, it can be said that the provocative film has sparked questions over the real names and identities behind the film. This is hope-inspiring. There is also the aspect to all this that takes Muslims themselves into consideration. The Islamic world no longer wishes to see attacks by societies in places like Afghanistan and Pakistan. There can be uprisings and protests, but what does attacking an embassy or a diplomatic mission have to do with Islam or defending one’s rights? So while recent developments in Tunisia and Egypt offer great hope to the Islamic world, our greatest hope is that what we last saw unfold in Libya will not be repeated anywhere else.

As anniversary ceremonies marking the September 11 attacks were taking place, one is glad to see that events such as what occurred in Libya are not spreading to other Islamic countries, but at the same time, confused as to why these sorts of bloody events seem only to occur in Egypt and Libya. What sort of message can we take from the fact that the makers of this provocative film were Coptic-Jewish names working together. It is quite clear that this is an operation against Egypt. But what was desired in Egypt was not obtained. No matter that a crowd tried to gain entry to the US Embassy in Cairo; level-headedness was maintained, and the crowds never got anywhere important.

In short, there are lots of messages hidden in this latest provocation. As a new system takes form in the Middle East, and as the will of the people comes to power in lots of regions, there are some powers trying to prevent this from happening. It is now quite clear who these powers are. What the Western media needs to do is focus on this aspect a bit more than it already has.