FAQ: What Happened in Libya and Egypt?

Anger over an anti-Islamic movie snowballs into violence.

What's Going On Over There? - On Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2012, anti-American violence erupted in Cairo, and Benghazi, Libya. Four Americans were killed including the U.S. ambassador to Libya, Christopher Stevens. BET.com answers questions about what's behind it all. — Naeesa Aziz  (Photo: REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany)
What Set Off the Violence? - After a movie by Israeli-American filmmaker Sam Bacile was translated into Arabic, news of its controversial message spread quickly over the Internet and sparked extreme anger. The film depicts Islam's Prophet Muhammad having sex, talking about killing children and refers to a donkey as "the first Muslim animal." (Photo: REUTERS/Esam Al-Fetori)
Republicans Exploit Benghazi, Libya, Attack - After a tragic attack on the U.S. embassy in Benghazi, Libya, left four Americans dead, GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney and other Republicans launched into an unseemly and misdirected attack against President Obama and his U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice. Unfortunately, Rice withdrew her name  from consideration to succeed Hillary Clinton as secretary of state. Meanwhile, Gen. David Petraeus, caught up in a sex scandal that forced him to resign from the CIA, escaped culpability for the CIA's intelligence failure in Benghazi.  (Photo: Reuters/Esam Al-Fetori)Were There Any American Casualities?  - In the Libyan attacks, four Americans were killed. U.S. ambassador to Libya Christopher Stevens, Foreign Service Information Management Officer Sean Smith and two unidentified staffers died. (Photo: AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

Next Gallery

Women's History Month: The Most Iconic Fashion Moments by Black Women

13 Photos

1 / 10

What's Going On Over There? - On Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2012, anti-American violence erupted in Cairo, and Benghazi, Libya. Four Americans were killed including the U.S. ambassador to Libya, Christopher Stevens. BET.com answers questions about what's behind it all. — Naeesa Aziz  (Photo: REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany)

ADVERTISEMENT