By Claude Salhani- Trend:
One has to salute the efforts put forward by Saudi Arabia in forming a coalition of Muslim countries to combat the threat posed by the so-called Islamic State, a trans-border terrorist organization it partially helped create.
Some analysts are skeptical however and feel that the initiative comes a day too late and a dollar too short. Turkey, Iraq and Syria countries directly concerned the terrorist threat are absent from this Coalition.
Saudi Arabia is trying to cure a cancer with aspirin when major surgery is required.
Isis has encrusted itself in the Middle East and North Africa like a cancer and as such it needs to be removed. The Saudi communiqué, issued at the close of the conference is correct in denouncing those who turn to terrorism are people who hurt Islam. But all that chatter is the equivalent of band aids being applied on the way to the operating room.
Will they make it to the operating room?
Granted, the creation of a vast and wide-ranging Muslim military alliance is a positive step in the right direction to eradicate the threat posed by ISIS, but much more needs to be done. Under the leadership of Saudi Arabia, the frontrunner in this campaign that must be led by a Muslim country in order to give it a chance to survive. For this initiative to be successful three things are required:
1. Firm military action from the air and ground, meaning boots on the ground to combat the radicals and to eradicate the threat once and for all.
However for that to be successful there needs to be the participation of countries concerned : Syria and Iraq. Otherwise we might see repetition of the US invasion. Just as the Iraqis fought the US occupation of their country so too they will fight an invasion by other Arabs.
2. A post invasion restructuring plan is a must if the region is to be prevented from falling back into chaos.
3. Finally a new vision for the future. Saudi Arabia needs to pave the way to bring about true change in the region. That means at the kingdom should open up to permit other religions to be free to practice in the kingdom, just as Islam is allowed to build mosques in Europe so too should churches be allowed In Saudi Arabia.
This is a time for radical changes for courageous changes and for positive changes.
Will the Saudi's have the courage and conviction to follow this initiative all the way through? That remains to be seen.
Claude Salhani is a senior editor with Trend Agency. You can follow Claude on Twitter @Claudesalhani