THE concept of "every man a soldier" originates from the French Revolution. As part of the revolutionary ideals of France this concept emerged although it is not as well known as other revolutionary principles of that era. What this concept meant was that in society every person had a role to play in contributing to the establishment and implementation of revolutionary ideas throughout French society. In today's world we certainly do see a need for each and every person to play their part. First, for clarification I am not calling for revolution or the spreading of revolutionary ideas. There is absolutely no need for that, and more importantly anarchy in and of itself is not a cure for anything. It is really only a recipe for more anarchy. But with today's fight against Daesh (the self-proclaimed IS) and other radical movements throughout the region we all have our roles to play. Parents, imams, sheikhs, teachers, soldiers, officers, intelligence personnel, civil servants, diplomats, and citizens can individually and collectively bring invaluable aid to humanity's current and impending struggle with Daesh and other terrorist groups. It is in this spirit that the concept of "every man a soldier" is very applicable to us today. Criminals, sadists, terrorists, and others who offer nothing more than hostile belligerence thrive on the indulgence of society's understanding. For us here in the Kingdom, our mosques have been attacked, scholarship students while home on break from their studies in the United States have sacrificed themselves to prevent Daesh (the self-proclaimed IS) terrorists from carrying out atrocities inside mosques and even our valiant elders too have laid down their lives to spare the lives of others. In yet another example, our noble citizenry in Najran have been exposed to rocket and mortar fire for being guilty of nothing more than being an easy target. Our honorable Armed Forces, and those of our coalition partners too, put their lives on the line so that we can have peace in our beloved homeland. They sacrifice potentially their lives and time with their family to carry the fight to those in Syria, Yemen, and even further afield. So, as you can see, we are all involved in this fight, and let us be abundantly clear about that. From Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman Bin Abdulaziz all the way to the average citizen, we are all soldiers and potential targets in this fight. Either we win or they do. It certainly is not a fight we asked for or intentionally sought out, but yet here it is. There is no compromise possible with our enemies, especially since they do not offer the same to us. We are all on the front lines, and, therefore, every citizen whether he recognizes it or not is a soldier in this war for the Kingdom and for humanity as well. This is a fight which is clearly a deeply personal one for all of humanity, not just the Kingdom. Our enemies are willing to use game control consoles to recruit vulnerable youth while others will patiently seek out individuals who will hide unscrupulously in plain sight and use compulsive behavior to put the Kingdom at risk by pilfering secrets or working as a willing asset for a clearly hostile country. This fight is one were parents sometimes are unaware that someone is influencing their children, and only in hindsight do they realize with heartbreak that they were powerless to intervene. Our phones and user apps are frontline weapons for these deviants, and frankly the term "deviant" is almost a compliment when we realize what their actions are and what their lives are committed to. In France, we saw that the battlefield was in the immediate vicinity of an international friendly match between Germany and France, a concert hall and cafes packed with casual diners guilty of nothing more than wanting a nice evening with their family and friends. We are all front line soldiers in this struggle. It can appear at first to be a daunting and formidable task, however, when one takes a moment to pause and think, we can take great confidence in the quality of character of our front line soldiers. The Kingdom's current rise and its continued ascendancy is based on its obvious progress, the character of its people, its growing presence within the region and beyond, the leadership mantle it has assumed, and the modesty with which it has gone about handling its affairs internationally. One does not need to deliberately seek attention and speak in the loudest tones in order to do the right thing. When confronted with evil, if one does not choose to denounce it and confront it head on with the intention of eliminating it from the face of the earth, then that indifference in the face of evil actually enables and supports it. As long as we are all in the fight, with the objective of not only defeating our enemy thoroughly but in every regard possible, then we cannot be defeated. This humble citizen will answer his call from Allah, our Prophet (peace be upon him) and our beloved Kingdom and its people. I have been, and will continue to be, a champion our our nation and humanity. Our very religion asks this of us. Faisal Al-Shammeri Political Analyst - World Affairs
