In October of 2009, most of the
world was stunned when Barack Obama was selected to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. He had only been in office for 8 months and had no record on which to base the award. It was, essentially, awarded to him prospectively. The explanation from the awarding committee, to paraphrase, was that he was a symbol of hope and change, and surely he would do something in the future to merit such an honor. (cough cough)
Reacting to the news, the
Palestinian movement Hamas said the award was "premature at best", while the Taliban in Afghanistan stated it was "absurd to give a peace award to a man who has sent 21,000 extra troops to Afghanistan."
Two years after accepting the Nobel Peace Prize in Stockholm, Mr.
Obama gave a speech at the U.N. This came a few months after he involved the U.S. in the revolutionary overthrows of several decades-old dictatorships. Much controversy surrounded Obama's decision to involve the U.S. in some of these revolutions while staying silent on others. Perhaps Mr. Obama thought that he could finally merit the Nobel Peace Prize by talking about peace while giving aid to the parties he supported in these foreign civil wars. The message Mr. Obama conveyed in his U.N. speech on September 21, 2011, was that "peace is hard" and that peace does not always last. He used the word "peace" 44 times in his 35 minute speech. Here are some of the profound things he said about peace.
"...a subject at the heart of the United Nations [is] the pursuit of peace
in an imperfect world."
"We have got to make, not merely peace, but a peace that will last."
"The men and women who built this institution (the U.N.) understood that peace is more than just the absence of
war. A lasting peace -- for nations and for individuals -- depends on a sense of justice and opportunity, of dignity and freedom."
“'Many people,' [one of the U.N. founders] said, 'have talked as if all that has to
be done to get peace was to say loudly and frequently that we loved peace and we hated war. Now we have learned that no matter how much we love peace and hate war, we cannot avoid having war brought upon us if there are convulsions in other parts of the world.'”
"The fact is peace is hard. But our people demand it."
"...we proclaim our love for peace and our hatred of war..."
"And Osama bin Laden, a man who murdered thousands of people from dozens of countries, will never endanger the peace of the world again."
"[T]oday, we stand at a crossroads of history with the chance to move decisively in the direction of peace. [...] The United Nations’ Founding Charter calls upon us, 'to unite our strength to maintain international peace and security.'”
"This is how the international community is supposed to work
-- nations standing together for the sake of peace and security, and
individuals claiming their rights. Now, all of us have a responsibility to
support the new Libya -- the new Libyan government as they confront the
challenge of turning this moment of promise into a just and lasting peace for all Libyans."
"But let us remember: Peace is hard. Peace is hard."
"But what I also said is that a genuine peace can only be realized between the Israelis and the Palestinians themselves."
"Peace is hard work. Peace will not come through statements and resolutions at the United Nations -- if it were that easy, it would have been accomplished by now."
"Ultimately, peace depends upon compromise among people who must live together long after our speeches are over, long after our votes have been tallied."
"That is the truth -- each side has legitimate aspirations -- and that’s part of what makes peace so hard."
"Peace is not just the absence of war. True peace depends on creating the opportunity
that makes life worth living."
"[T]hose who came before us believed that peace is preferable to war."
Peace is hard, but we know that it is possible. So, together, let us be resolved to see that it is defined by our hopes and not by our fears. Together, let us make peace, but a peace, most importantly, that will last."
Wow. Who knew peace was so hard. So, with such a profound speech, our President must have made the whole world join hands and sing "Kumbaya" together over the last 3 years and 8 months, right?
Yes, I am being facetious.
Our Ambassador to Libya and three other Americans were killed three days ago, on the anniversary of 9/11. At first it was reported that a movie trailer about Mohammad had sparked the outrage. Now it has come to light that this was all part of a planned attack on U.S. foreign service locations on 9/11, merely because some Muslims hate the United States and our people. And our government does little but apologize to the Muslim world and blame the film maker. It is thoroughly disgraceful.
Today the violent protests of radical Muslims in the Middle East have spread to many countries that we have helped in the past. This map shows the locations that have seen protests today alone. The list of the sites is printed below, with links to the news stories that confirm the reports of rioting.
Global Muslim Protests
Map created on Sep 14 · By John via Google Maps
Algeria
"In Algeria, the U.S. Embassy cautioned Americans to avoid its building and other official government buildings Wednesday afternoon, sending an emergency message to U.S. citizens after calls for protests went out on social media,"
reports the Los Angeles Times.
Amsterdam
"The American consulate on the Museumplein in Amsterdam
is to close earlier than usual on Friday because of a planned demonstration by
Muslims in the late afternoon,"
reports
DutchNews.nl. "Two schools in the neighbourhood are also to close
early, Nos television said."
Baghdad, Iraq
"In Iraq, reaction to the video clip has been limited
to followers of Shiite groups linked to militias and neighboring Iran,"
reports
The Wall Street Journal. "Several hundred followers of anti-American
cleric Moqtada al-Sadr held brief demonstrations in Baghdad's Sadr City
district, the southern oil city of Basra and other predominantly Shiite areas
of the country, chanting 'Death to America.'"
Bangladesh
"About 1,000 Bangladeshi Islamists tried to march on
the U.S. embassy in Dhaka on Thursday to protest against a U.S. film that is
said to insult the Prophet Mohammad but security forces stopped them reaching
the mission,"
reports Reuters.
Benghazi, Libya
"Heavily armed militants used a protest of an
anti-Islam film as a cover and may have had help from inside Libyan security in
their deadly attack on the U.S. Consulate, a senior Libyan official said
Thursday," reports the
AP.
Cairo, Egypt
"In Cairo, clouds of tear gas floated through the
fortified area around the U.S. Embassy as security forces clashed with
protesters for the third straight day,"
reports
The Washington Post.
Chennai, India
"Protesters in southern India have been arrested for
throwing rocks at the U.S. Consulate in Chennai, the city police commissioner
said,"
reports
CNN. "As many as 200 protesters were demonstrating in front of the
building, but the number arrested was not reported. There were no reported
injuries."
Doha, Qatar
"Hundreds of worshippers marched near the US embassy in
Qatar on Friday over the anti-Islam video,"
reports
Al Jazeera. "The protest had been reportedly called for by Doha-based
Egyptian
Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi and
began after his Friday sermon at the Omar bin Khateb mosque."
Gaza Strip
"Palestinians on Friday protested an anti-Muslim film,
with thousands gathering in the Gaza Strip and hundreds in Jerusalem where
there were clashes with Israeli police,"
reports Now
Lebanon.
Islamabad, Pakistan
"The protesters in Islamabad said that the film should
be banned across the world and the filmmakers should be severely
punished,"
reports
Pakistan's The Express Tribune. "They also demanded that the US should
apologise for the film."
Jakarta, Indonesia
"In Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation,
about 200 protesters in Jakarta chanted slogans and held up signs in a largely
peaceful protest outside the heavily guarded U.S. Embassy,"
reports
the Associated Press.
Jalalabad, Afghanistan
"Hundreds of Afghans – some shouting 'Death to America'
– have held a protest against an anti-Islam film in the eastern city of
Jalalabad,"
reports
the AP.
Jerusalem
"Hundreds hurl stones at officers in Jerusalem after
Friday prayers at al-Aqsa Mosque while protesters rallied against anti-Islam
film,"
reports
Ynet News.
Jos, Nigeria
"Nigerian troops fired live rounds on Friday to
disperse Muslims protesting in the volatile central city of Jos against an
American film about the Prophet Mohammad that has triggered unrest in several
countries across the Islamic world,"
reports
Reuters. "Scores of Muslim demonstrators distributed photographs
printed out from the trailer of the film, which Muslims say insults the
Prophet, after Friday prayers in Jos."
Karachi, Pakistan
"JI Chief Munawar Hassan, addressing a protest rally in
the Nazimabad area of Karachi, demanded that the US government ban the movie
and also demanded the Interior ministry of Pakistan lodge a protest with the US
ambassador," reports the
Express
Tribune.
Kashmir
"Thousands of angry Kashmiri Muslims protested Friday
against an anti-Islam film, burning U.S. flags and calling President Barack
Obama a 'terrorist,' while the top government cleric here reportedly demanded
Americans leave the volatile Indian-controlled region immediately,"
reports
the AP. "At least 15,000 people took part in more than two dozen
protests across Kashmir, chanting 'Down with America' and 'Down with Israel' in
some of the largest anti-American demonstrations against the film in
Asia."
Khartoum, Sudan
"Britain's Foreign Office says police in Sudan are
confronting a protest outside the British embassy in Khartoum,"
reports the AP.
Additionally,
Reuters
reports "Protesters pull down emblem at German embassy in Sudan, raise
Islamic flag."
The
Guardian is showing photographs of the German embassy on fire.
Kuwait City, Kuwait
"About 500 demonstrators gathered yesterday near the US
embassy in Kuwait waving a black Al-Qaeda flag in protest of a film mocking
Islam,"
reports
AFP. "President Barack 'Obama, we are all Osama,' they chanted
referring to Al-Qaeda's former leader Osama bin Laden who was killed by US
forces last year, an AFP photographer at the site of the demonstration
reported."
Lahore, Pakistan
"The rally in Lahore was organised by
Tehreek-e-Hurmat-e-Rasool which was taken out from Green Chowk to Sohrab Khan,
while the one in Multan was organised by Jamiat Talba Arbia and Shehri Mahaz.
Protesters threw shoes at US and Israeli flags and set them on fire,"
reports
the Express Tribune.
London, UK
"About 200 protesters are burning USA and Israeli flags
outside the US embassy in London,"
Al Jazeera reports.
Maldives
Protests emerged in the Maldives, according to the
BBC, but there are
few details on the size of the demonstration.
Mogadishu, Somalia
"Thousands of Somali protesters have taken to the
streets of capital Mogadishu to express their anger over the anti-Islam movie
produced by an Israeli-American in the United States,"
reports
Iran's Press TV. "The demonstration in the Somali capital is being
held to express anger against the film, which insults the holy Prophet Muhammad
(PBUH)."
Morocco
"Algeria and Morocco have sharply criticised the
anti-Islam film, while also offering their condolences over the death of the US
ambassador to Libya,"
reports
The Oman Tribune.
Sanaa, Yemen
"In Sanaa, Yemen, the U.S. Embassy was overrun Thursday
by protesters who stormed a wall, set fire to a building inside the compound,
broke windows and carried away office supplies and other souvenirs before being
dispersed by local security forces,"
reports
The Washington Post.
Sri Lanka
Protests have erupted in eastern Sri Lanka, according to the
BBC, but details
are thin on the size of the demonstration.
Tehran, Iran
"In Tehran, students gathered Thursday outside the
Swiss Embassy, which represents U.S. interests in Iran, to protest the
video,"
The
Wall Street Journal reports. "No violence was reported."
Tripoli, Lebanon
"Hundreds of protesters set alight a Kentucky Fried
Chicken restaurant in the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli on Friday,
witnesses said, chanting against the pope's visit to Lebanon and shouting
anti-American slogans,"
reports Reuters.
The news agency attributed the violence to the papal visit and the
controversial film.
Tripoli, Libya
"The US dispatched an elite group of Marines to Tripoli
on Wednesday after the mob attack that killed the US ambassador and three other
Americans,"
reports
the AP. "Officials were investigating whether the rampage was a
backlash to an anti-Islamic video with ties to Coptic Christians or a plot to
coincide with the anniversary of 9/11."
Tunisia
Protesters in Tunisia have set fire to an American school in
the capital Tunis,
according
to Reuters. The
New
York Post reports that "Anti-American rioting spread yesterday to
Tunisia, where police used tear gas to stop hundreds of protesters from
storming the United States Embassy in protest over a film mocking the prophet
Mohammed."
Pictures are not necessarily from the location listed above or below them. They merely are samples of the thousands of pictures on the Internet documenting the widespread unrest and protesting throughout the Arab world.
This is what the Arab Spring that Obama supported and encouraged has led to. I have a horrible feeling that things will get worse in the Middle East before they get better. I hope I am wrong. I am betting I am not.
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