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Benghazi, Libya

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Location

The Resume

    (525 BC- )
    Second largest city in Libya
    Largest city in the Cyrenaica region
    Sometimes functions as a 'Joint-Capitol' city, with Tripoli
    Population density (as of 2011) is 631,555
    Originated as an Ancient Greek colony; later the Romans, the Carthaginians, the Ottoman Empire, and finally Italy
    Home to the University of Libya (est. 1955)
    Site of an uprising sparked in protest of the government of Muammar Gaddafi, which quickly spread across the country (Feb. 15, 2011)
    Site of a high-profile Islamic terror attack on the American Embassy by armed militants, resulting in the capture and subsequent murder of Ambassador Chris Stevens, along with two former Navy SEALS and Information Officer, Sean Smith (Sept. 11, 2012)

Why Benghazi, Libya might be annoying:

    If we've heard it once, we've heard it for the umpteenth time: 'Who's Ben Ghazzi?!'
    Actually, its name sounds a little like Ben Gazzara.
    It was controlled by Mussolini during World War II.
    It was the subject of a crummy Richard Conte 'jungle flick' (incidentally with its name misspelled in the title - 'Bengazi').
    It has shared a contentious rivalry with the city of Tripoli (the latter is the nation's capitol, but you wouldn't know it the way most everything important to the country is delegated to 'the other city').
    It was overrun by radical Islamic extremists (mostly Al-Qaeda operatives), at the outbreak of Arab Spring, who engaged in a struggle with Gaddafi for control over Libya.
    It gained international significance only after becoming the object of conspiracy-driven media over a terrorist attack.
    While the idea that the Consulate attack sprang from a spontaneous protest of an anti-Islamic video ('Innocence of the Muslims') was debunked, the city's state was unstable enough that this didn't prevent actual 'anti-video rioters' from moving in to loot/riot after the attacks broke out.
    It became a political buzzword in both the 2012 and 2016 Presidential elections, this despite that one poll reported 39% of GOP voters not even knowing what country it was located in (the top 'wrong answer' was Egypt).

Why Benghazi, Libya might not be annoying:

    It became the bane of Hillary Clinton's existence.
    It became the subject of a cool Michael Bay action movie.
    It started out as a prominent sea port in the days of Ancient Greece.
    It was devastated by the Bubonic Plague in both 1858 and 1874.
    It is the location of Libya's National Library.
    Libya's Parliamentary voting sessions are all held there.
    Libyan National Airlines is based out of the city.
    It served as the provisional capital of the National Transitional Council.
    It was able to utilize its newfound oil wealth to rebuild after being heavily bombed during World War II.
    Several quarters of the city display buildings bearing the influence of Italian architecture.
    It is home not only to the best sports facilities in the country, but also to Libya's two premiere football teams.
    It became a turning point during the Libyan Civil War (local resistance overpowered the Libyan army when they attempted to lay siege to it).

Credit: BoyWiththeGreenHair


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    For 2024, as of last weekly ranking, Out of 35 Votes: 5.71% Annoying
    In 2023, Out of 40 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 8 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 16 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 17 Votes: 52.94% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 40 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 22 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 18 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 52 Votes: 57.69% Annoying