War against Daesh

Daesh’s atrocities are being widely condemned all across the world. The terrorist organization has wreaked havoc on the Muslim world particularly in Iraq and Syria.

The Muslim world is the worst victim of terrorism. Unfortunately, the western countries in the recent past hosted various terrorist organizations, funded them and used them to serve their political interests. But now those same organizations have turned against their benefactors and targeting them.

Instead of merely paying lip service, Saudi Arabia has taken the initiative to root out Daesh in Syria by launching a massive military action against the evil organization.

Live military maneuvers codenamed “North Thunder” are taking place in the northern parts of Kingdom and are meant to send a message to the world that “we are the first to deter terrorism, which is distorting the image of Islam.”

We still remember what the Serbs did with the Bosnian Muslims some 20 years ago under religious and ethnic slogans in the heart of Europe. In a historic gesture from late King Fahd, the Kingdom played a key role in convincing the United States to lead operations against the Serbs that could save the remaining Muslim population from ethnic cleansing.

Unfortunately, some people in Europe and the US still ignore these facts when they link acts of Daesh to Islam.

However, anyone who has studied Islam knows that Daesh followers are misinterpreting our religious texts to achieve their political goals.

Unfortunately, we are in an era wherein stances, interests and ambitions have become mixed and loud voices are listened to while the voice of wisdom fades away.

With the help of Allah, Daesh will be eradicated and facts uncovered to expose who are fighting our country and trying to tarnish our reputation linking the Kingdom with acts carried out by Daesh and its likes.

— By Abdulwahab Al-Faiz


Putting up a strong front

The one who believes that our war in Yemen has weakened is mistaken. Our war in Yemen has, rather, earned our air, land and sea forces, border and National Guard units high combat capabilities in the difficult terrain situations.

Our first units of air force have arrived in Turkey for a noble objective; fighting forces of evils (Daesh) for the protection of our Syrian brothers and removal of their sufferings as soon as possible.

Betting on a losing horse (Assad), Russia is committing the same historic error it made in Afghanistan in the early 1980s and came out from that country after being defeated leaving behind a torn country.

Only wise management of the conflict can save this region. Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Pakistan should be pillars of that wise strategy.

Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Adel Al-Jubeir is effectively defending the country’s policies at important forums. We should feel proud of him for doing his job perfectly. He understands the western mentality and can change the western view in our favor.

We pray to Allah that the “Decisive Storm” and “North Thunder” will serve our goals.

— By Ghanim Al-Hamar


Foreign universities in KSA

A section of the press quoted a source in the Ministry of Education as saying that the ministry plans to allow top 100 world universities to open their campuses in the Kingdom.

It is an important decision. However, I believe that campuses of foreign universities should be allowed in phases. A limited number of educational institutions should be allowed to operate in the Kingdom in the first phase. Their performance and the impact of this step should be properly assessed to gradually allow more universities to open campuses in the Kingdom. In addition to that these foreign universities should be allowed to operate in an independent atmosphere so as to help them boost research and academic activities in the Kingdom.

The teaching staff of the branch universities should also be subjected to teaching criteria of the parent universities together with the same curricula taught by the parent institutions.

Scholarship programs are hoped to continue in universities of the developed countries because academic environment and social setting in which the scholarship students live outside the Kingdom are important to form the basis for their scientific and research approach.

We hope this important step will have far-reaching consequences and will help boost literacy rate in the Kingdom and provide the labor market with qualified cadres and, therefore, push the wheels of development forward.

These foreign universities’ campus are also hoped to inspire our local universities and prove to be a stimulus for competition, especially the expansion in students admission, multiplicity of colleges and specialties coupled with scarcity of outstanding teaching staff led to low-quality outputs.

The idea remains distinctive but, however, needs gradual implementation, assessment and follow-up.

— By Muflih Zabin Al-Qahtani


Reforms for improvement

Reports about a teacher attacking a student brutally and another teacher forming a gang comprising his students emerging within a week should send alarm bells ringing in the country. Such reports are not good for our education sector.

Unlike many others who are bitterly criticizing the Education Ministry, I would like to say that it is not wise or fair to judge an entire ministry on the basis of the actions of a few individuals.

We cannot find one single government department or agency that is free of all errors or all kinds of corruption. Workers are not angels and therefore they do commit mistakes. Those who err should, undoubtedly, be penalized and there should also be continued assessment of the government agencies so as to improve performance and avoid shortcomings.

But to lodge demands for cancellation of a department on the basis on an isolated incident is sheer madness that will force us to close down every agency or department.

Similarly, many people wrongfully call for the closure of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice (Haia).

The problem of those calling for Haia cancellation is with the agency itself and not with those who committed error. Unfortunately, some people discuss issues related to Haia not for its development or reform, but discuss them just to reject the very idea of Haia, which is a wrong and unjust approach and needs to be changed.

— By Sattam Al-Thaqail


Responsibility toward country

Media responsibility is emphasized and reflected in all situations and issues even in wars and battlefronts.

Today, the Kingdom is facing forces of evil that are targeting our faith and country, which necessitates the local media be cautious while covering news and ascertain the veracity of reports before their publication or broadcast.

A citizen is, by nature, a media man and security man and bears the same responsibility of media or security men and, accordingly, shares responsibility and accountability.

The statement issued by a senior source at the Ministry of Interior quoting the director-general of Public Investigation that the report about foiling a terrorist attack in Janadriyah was inaccurate gives us practical evidence on responsibility, which we all should share.

At a forum on security and media, Director-General of Public Investigations Gen. Abdulaziz Al-Huwairini stressed the need to consider the public interests and not to take photos of security campaigns or their locations and publish them on the social media networking.

He said that terrorist groups try to exploit media to achieve their goals by spreading lies in a bid to undermine our society and country. These lies have to be refuted through correct facts from official sources, he said.

We, as media men and citizens dealing with old and new media, have to serve the interests of our country, protect its security and national unity and stay united to respond to malicious media campaigns against the Kingdom.

— By Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al-Sulaiman


Role of women

Nobody could ignore the huge role womenfolk play in the development of a society.

At home, the mother’s role is enormous in bringing up a generation facing dangers not known by old generations.

Therefore, an educated and cultured mother who is close to her sons and daughters is considered a safe haven for all members of family and community.

In this context, the National Project for the Prevention of Narcotics is providing world-class awareness programs for the protection of community members, notably youths, from the evils of drugs through its eight programs.

We should appreciate the professionalism of women in our country for leading big teams at the National Commission for Narcotics Control.

I was honored to join one of the teams in Jeddah for a two-day forum at King Abdulaziz University (KAU). The forum highlighted the leading role of women in fighting drugs and how to protect minds of our youths from dangers posed by narcotics.

— By Muna Yusuf Hamdan