Editor’s note: The following account was written for RaymondIbrahim.com by an American teacher in the Muslim world.
On May 26th, the residents of Tripoli and other areas under the control of the General National Congress (GNC) and their military wing, Libya Dawn (a coalition of Islamic militias), discovered that they were now living in a “Muslim State”. The GNC – who still refuses to recognize the elected and international recognized House of Representatives based in Beida (Eastern Libya) – has amended Article No. 1 of the Constitutional Declaration of August 2011 and declared Libya to be a “Muslim State” with Sharia law as the source of legislation.
Since then, I have discussed the issue with many locals and most were surprised and saddened by the declaration of the GNC. While I sympathized with their disappointment that Tripoli will now be governed by Sharia law, I was surprised by the extent they were shocked by the declaration of the GNC. Wasn’t the writing on the wall?
Since the Libya Dawn military alliance defeated the more secular militias for the control of Tripoli in August 2014, anybody who has been following the policies of the local authorities could easily determine that the city has slowly been drifting towards a “Muslim State” and that its official declaration was only a matter of time.
To start, there has been an increase in the number of attacks on religious sites, such as the desecration of the Christian cemetery, the destruction of the Sheikh Sayd Sufi shrine and the recent bombing of the Quds mosque (also believed to be a Sufi shrine), all under the watchful eye of the GNC. Second, there is the continued removal of statues depicting people or animals – because they could lead to some form of idolatry – across the city such as The Bride of the Sea(who was finally removed after an attempt to destroy her failed) and the statue of Omar Mukhtar (the Libyan hero who fought the Italians from 1913 to 1931).
Next, there is the recent forced segregation of Fursia park, which is now open to “women only” for two days a week and to “men only” on the other days. This new policy is preventing families from being able to enjoy the park together. Finally, the school curriculum will be changed and children will now be taught a “more radical view of Islam”, which will include the value of jihad and the importance of punishing those who do not follow Islam. There are also unconfirmed reports that the University of Tripoli will be ordered to segregate in the autumn, forcing men and women to attend classes separately.
In his recent article, “Obama’s Policies to Empower ISIS Exposed“, Raymond Ibrahim concludes that “For those able to read the plain writing on the wall, the end game between Obama and the Islamic State was always easy to discern.” The same can be said regarding the current situation in Tripoli. With all the small, but constant changes that have been imposed on the city since the Islamists’ victory last summer, the GNC’s end game was always easy to discern for those able to read the plain writing on the wall.
pongidae rex says
Both Iraq and Afghanistan are self-declared ‘Muslim States’ with ‘Islamic Constitutions’ after Trillions of dollars and thousands of killed and maimed US personnel. W Bush and Obama were both OK with this. So what is the big deal?
RonaldB says
pongidae,
You’re exactly right. The US administration, under a Republican and then Democratic President, had no problem with supporting and enabling Muslim governments based explicitly on sharia law. A further interesting aspect is that the US supported the overthrow of 3 governments: Afghanistan, Iraq, and Libya, only one of which (Afghanistan) was based on sharia law. All 3 are now ruled by sharia.
Also, recall that the US supported the ascension of President Morsi of Egypt, a Muslim Brotherhood operative. The Muslim Brotherhood in its most basic documents makes clear its support of sharia law. The US government withheld vital aid to the Egyptian government and protested when the Muslim Brotherhood President was ousted by el Sisi, a courageous leader who openly proclaimed, at deadly risk to himself, that Islam had to change its aggressive and violent nature.
It is difficult to deny, at this point, that the US government in no way has the interests of the US people in mind, and that the long-term interest of the country will best be served by opposing any interventions by the US in the affairs of Muslim countries, especially the push to institute so-called democratic governments where secular dictatorships and corrupt oligarchies now exist.
David says
A lot of these problems originated from US military interventions in the Middle East. Already from Islam’s inception you have a split between Sunni and Shiah and it didn’t help when the USA via the CIA was installing its stooges to govern in Egypt, Iran and Iraq. Then it overthrew Saddam whom it installed and protects the Saudi Royal Family and on top of that fought in Afghanistan and sends drones to Pakistan.
With sectarian tensions already reason enough for regular wars in the Middle East the last thing needed was an outside non Muslim west deciding the fate and rulers of Muslim countries. The UN created the State of Israel and every since its been spiralling out of control.
Why is the west so concerned about how Muslim countries are governed? We wouldn’t want others invading our lands and appointing rulers that suited them so why do we do it? We profess freedom of choice so why do we force others to adopt leaders we want?
Muslims, according to the Quran are permitted to fight in self defence and can easily use the Wests intervention in their countries as pretexts for self defence and that is what they have done.
Muslims don’t all have the sophisticated weapons that the west have to commit ‘shock and awe’ tactics so they retaliate the way they know best.
When they’re cities are bombed and innocent people killed it doesn’t make them friendly to the west. Also, the American fleets are very close to the Holiest Shrine of Muhammad and what right have they to be there? Yes they were invited but why not just leave Muslims to sort out their own problems instead of taking sides?
With Iran they installed the Shah, in Egypt Mubarrak and they tolerated Ghaddaffi. A lot of the worst oppressors and cutthroats were supported and still are by American policy. Why?
Is it the oil?? What else? All these deaths and wars to protect oil interests? A lot of today’s problems are caused by British and American adventurism and unfortunately it’s too late now to turn back the clock and do things differently.
Now we must pay the consequences of a militant Islam invoking its clauses of self defence to wage jihad on a west that is bombarding its cities.
The west are not innocent bystanders being attacked. We have for many decades interfered in the affairs of Muslim countries manipulating their leaderships, bombing their cities and now we’ve gotten ourselves involved in a war largely of our own making.
America had no place installing Saddam Hussein or supporting Mubarrak or the Shah of Iran and also no place attacking Iraq and forcing regime change and camping its fifth fleet outside Muslim holy shrines.
What in earth are we doing getting mixed up with this mess?? Let them sort out their own fate just like we do ours. Now we’ve started something which cannot end but in more bloodshed and war.
The more the USA get involved with the Middle East the more retaliation it will help on its own people because Muslims don’t want their fate decided by the USA or any other western or world power. They want to decide their own fate so lets mind our own business.
Now it’s a bit late too late and this will just have to play out but we should never have gone to Iraq or Afganistan not protected the Saudi Royal family not installed the Shah of Iran nor Saddam Hussein.
What were we thinking?? World peace?????
For God’s sake and for the American people’s sake leave Muslim countries alone and stop giving them pretexts to wage war on us.
Angemon says
FYI, David, no one is buying your “self-defence” theory. The middle east has been f***ed up since islam came along. Remember how Columbus discovered America: he was looking for a trade route to Asia that avoided going through muslim lands.
Also, this:
“A lot of these problems originated from US military interventions in the Middle East.”
…
“America had no place installing Saddam Hussein”
So America shouldn’t have installed So Damn Insane, but his removal caused problems? Damned if they do, damned if they don’t…
“For God’s sake and for the American people’s sake leave Muslim countries alone and stop giving them pretexts to wage war on us.”
The first war waged between America and muslim countries was the First Barbary War. It started because devout muslims started attacking and capturing American trade vessels in the Mediterranean Sea. Thomas Jefferson and John Adams were sent to negotiate with Tripoli’s ambassador. They asked him why they were being targeted since America had done nothing to them, and his reply was:
The idea that not having troops in muslim countries will make them leave us alone has no factual basis. Obama removed American troops from Iraq. How is that working out for the US? Oh, yeah, IS sympathizers looking to carry out jihad attacks are popping up like mushrooms in a dark, damp place after rain.
Giving in to the demands of bullies solves nothing.
Alarmed Pig Farmer says
… amended Article No. 1 of the Constitutional Declaration of August 2011 and declared Libya to be a “Muslim State” with Sharia law as the source of legislation.
The good news is that Hillary will get another shot at pushing her reset button in Libya upon assuming control of the White House. Success is born of failure by those who try and try again. Plus, Hillary is no fool, and she certainly ain’t no fan of the cross-eyed ideal of laws above men. She has been an acolyte of Saul Alinsky — perhaps the worst American ever — for decades and will not brook any nonsense from some stupid law or tradition. This woman is a socialist with a big fat helping of globalist mixed into her pantsuit, a complex nuanced beauty who will move in and restore Libya to the Madisonian freedom she and Barack Hussein bestowed upon these unappreciative Maghrebs a few years back. She will avenge the death of her former employee Ambassador Chris Sevens, the anal rape murder victim. She was only being tricky when she famously sneered at the Congressman about what at this point does it matter. Being president matters a lot to her, as does her Moslem outreach efforts.
Voytek Gagalka says
“the school curriculum will be changed and children will now be taught a “more radical view of Islam”, which will include the value of jihad and the importance of punishing those who do not follow Islam.”
When such revolutionary and radically opposite change in educational system will occur in the West? That is that the school curriculum will be changed and children will be taught how devastating ideology of Islam is for independent mind and how its methods (jihad) is nothing but a war crime and crime against humanity and that those engaging in it should be punished severely and mercilessly exterminated?
mortimer says
Jeepers! What do intolerance and vigilantism have to do with the ROP?
Lioness says
Thank you, Obama, for turning Libya into an islamic 4th century caliphate. Under Qaddafi Libya had some stability and order, Christians had a degree of protection and savagery was outlawed. Qaddafi himself, mad as he was, did not cause any trouble. But Obama couldn’t wait to change all this and bring in the islamists to turn it into a hell on earth. He must be so proud of his achievment. These are, by the way, his goals for the United States as well. He meant it when he said that he will fundamentally transform the US, while the usefull idiots cheered. ISIS is Obama’s little bundle of joy.
Carolyne says
While Khadaffy had caused trouble in the past, for several years he had kept control of his barbarian Muslims and there was no reason whatsoever for us to start raining Tomahawk missiles down on him, giving weapons to his opposition and allowing him to be raped and murdered in our name.. This is to be laid at the feet of Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, as is the massacre in Benghazi, Ambassador Stevens is said to have been there to meet with the Turkish Foreign Minister to help facilitate arms to the Palestinians via Turkey. If this is true, there is no doubt who sent him on his mission and there is no doubt who is responsible for the lack of security to protect our people.
Also, Philip Jihadski, why in the world are you in that hellhole with those boors whom you hate so much? In what way is that benefitting the world? The Muslims are barbarians and will always be barbarians. Go home at once.