Today, terrorism is a global disease affecting all parts of the globe. Despite the accomplishment and cooperation between the security agencies in the United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia, this cooperation does not get noticed in the western media and academic institutions.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia does much when it comes to the war of terror — tracking extremists and their financial resources. The Saudi authorities carry out preemptive operations, dismantling terror cells, targeting key infrastructure and foiling any plans that these extremists have. That’s why the UK security services see them as an indispensable partner in the fight against terrorism. Western officials regularly visit Riyadh to exchange information and to strengthen the relationship with the security establishment of Saudi Arabia.
Despite all these efforts, the western media and many academic institutions levy criticism at the Kingdom. These outrageous cries are not based on facts, and at great odds with what is happening on the ground. Some even go as far as to say that Saudi Arabia is “financing terrorists.” These same people and institutions describe the Kingdom as supportive of extremism through such terms as “Wahhabis,” using it to distort the truth and downgrade the efforts of Saudi Arabia in the war on terror. We are underestimated in the fight against global terrorism.
There’s no excuse for this lack of clarity when it comes to the Saudi role. The press is cozy with the officials in the UK. This reduces the likelihood about it being due to the scarcity of information. So what is it? Misjudgment or poor analysis?
The US President Barack Obama’s interview with the Atlantic magazine should serve as a wake-up call to us. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has a serious PR problem. It’s not just one or two officials. The role of the security establishment of Saudi Arabia in the fight against terrorism just isn’t leaving the desired impression. What has led to this growing criticism toward us in the Western press, and indeed, in general?
We must be open with the western media to change the image and remove the misconceptions. It is obvious that officials won’t help to clarify that Saudi Arabia is a partner not a perpetrator in the war on terror. Only with excellent publicity campaigns initiated by the Saudi embassies, think tanks and research centers around the world, we can clear the confusion and correct the wrong impression.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia does much when it comes to the war of terror — tracking extremists and their financial resources. The Saudi authorities carry out preemptive operations, dismantling terror cells, targeting key infrastructure and foiling any plans that these extremists have. That’s why the UK security services see them as an indispensable partner in the fight against terrorism. Western officials regularly visit Riyadh to exchange information and to strengthen the relationship with the security establishment of Saudi Arabia.
Despite all these efforts, the western media and many academic institutions levy criticism at the Kingdom. These outrageous cries are not based on facts, and at great odds with what is happening on the ground. Some even go as far as to say that Saudi Arabia is “financing terrorists.” These same people and institutions describe the Kingdom as supportive of extremism through such terms as “Wahhabis,” using it to distort the truth and downgrade the efforts of Saudi Arabia in the war on terror. We are underestimated in the fight against global terrorism.
There’s no excuse for this lack of clarity when it comes to the Saudi role. The press is cozy with the officials in the UK. This reduces the likelihood about it being due to the scarcity of information. So what is it? Misjudgment or poor analysis?
The US President Barack Obama’s interview with the Atlantic magazine should serve as a wake-up call to us. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has a serious PR problem. It’s not just one or two officials. The role of the security establishment of Saudi Arabia in the fight against terrorism just isn’t leaving the desired impression. What has led to this growing criticism toward us in the Western press, and indeed, in general?
We must be open with the western media to change the image and remove the misconceptions. It is obvious that officials won’t help to clarify that Saudi Arabia is a partner not a perpetrator in the war on terror. Only with excellent publicity campaigns initiated by the Saudi embassies, think tanks and research centers around the world, we can clear the confusion and correct the wrong impression.
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