Abdulateef Al-Mulhim
Commodore, Royal Saudi Navy (Retired)
Four prominent Arabs — a Saudi, an Egyptian, a Kuwaiti and a Jordanian — have floated a proposal to resolve the Syrian crisis that has seen over 300,000 innocent people killed and millions displaced. Their voices reflect the pain and agony not only of the Syrians or the Arabs, but the conscience of the whole world. The Syrian dilemma is probably the most unique in today’s modern history. The four top Arab diplomats took the initiative to say enough is enough. Prince Turki Al-Faisal, former general intelligence director of Saudi Arabia; Abdelelah Alkhatib, former foreign minister of Jordan; Amr Mousa, former secretary-general of Arab League; and Mohammad Al-Sabah, former deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs of Kuwait. These top Arab diplomats drew a simple, but very comprehensive plan to end the killings and atrocities committed not only by the Syrian regime, but also by many terror groups such as Daesh and Al-Nusra. In the proposal they outlined a very transparent and direct plan to end the chaos in Syria. When the plan came out, I heard many Syrians in the Kingdom asking where have you been? The question is in reference to the Arab leaders who initiated the plan that should be taken seriously by all concerned parties in Syria, the Arab League and the United Nations. And as the proposal said, Syrians are not new to settling down and resolving their differences. At the end of the day, it is the Syrians and only the Syrians who can resolve their differences and they are the ones who will at the end live together. I have read the proposal more than once. And later I have seen it reprinted in other sites and papers. If implemented, the proposal will end the conflict in a short time. Syria is a country with many good brains and many patriotic people who can convene the Syrian National Congress to save the country and its people. Syria has lost more than 300,000 innocent lives and even more suffered injuries. More than half the Syrian population is either refugees or displaced. Millions have no homes or shelter. There is a severe shortage of food, water and medical supplies. As it turned out, an Arab spring turned into a nightmare. The voices of the four Arab diplomats are very sincere. They want what is good for Syria and the Syrians. It is shameful for the humanity to see the killings and atrocities being perpetrated on the Syrians and stay quiet. So, it is important for the Syrian government, Syrian opposition and all other parties involved to meet in a neutral place and set aside any personal interests and only think about the interests of Syria and the Syrians. And it is very important for the Syrian government led by Bashar Assad to use common sense and end this nightmare. Syria is a country with very intelligent and hardworking people. The country has very fertile land with many rivers. And it has diverse culture and people who used to live with each other in peace and harmony since thousands of years. Syria has the potential to be one of the most attractive countries for millions of tourists who can help the economy. But, stability is a very important factor in attracting foreign investment so crucial for the economy. Now, Syria is bleeding. Many Syrians have lost their loved ones. The wound is deep and will take a long time to heal. But if the Syrians don’t join hands together they will continue to suffer. The voices of these four prominent personalities from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan and Kuwait represent the countries that are crucial in solving Arab world issues. It is true that these four leaders do not hold any official position in their countries and this again adds to the sincerity of the proposal to save a country and its people. To sum it up, it is very important for the Syrians from all sections of the society to think about the future of their country and nation. Syria, as we know, has been a proud and great country that for thousands of years was the land of many civilizations. We should appreciate the proposal that was offered by the four Arab leaders to save a country. And who knows, if peace, harmony and stability are back in Syria, then more Arab countries such as Libya, Iraq, Somalia and Yemen will follow. Now, let us wait and see. Written by Abdulateef Al-Mulhim. Let’s Hear The Voice of Wisdom reprinted with permission of Arab News and Abdulateef Al-Mulhim.