The demagogic attack on Ahmed Asiri

Some troublemakers recently tried to attack Arab coalition spokesman Ahmed Asiri, the face of tempests and peace, and obstruct his participation at a seminar organized by the European Council on Foreign Relations in London.

Asiri’s reaction was calm and not like some opposing media outlets tried to picture it.

He settled with the security procedure which British authorities usually impose. Reports about disastrous reactions and punches are in fact funny because Asiri is a statesman who’s been trained at military institutions which is based on discipline and respecting authorities and security apparatuses.

Asiri is not an academic lecturer or a mere political commentator but a military figure who knows the meaning of commands and prohibitions and the value of security and legal values.

This attack shows the major role which Asiri performed during the past two years. Asiri has certainly had a significant presence in the world.

This article was first published in Okaz on April 2.
___________________
Turki Aldakhil is the General Manager of Al Arabiya News Channel. He began his career as a print journalist, covering politics and culture for the Saudi newspapers Okaz, Al-Riyadh and Al-Watan. He then moved to pan-Arab daily Al-Hayat and pan-Arab news magazine Al-Majalla. Turki later became a radio correspondent for the French-owned pan-Arab Radio Monte Carlo and MBC FM. He proceeded to Elaph, an online news magazine and Alarabiya.net, the news channel’s online platform. Over a ten-year period, Dakhil’s weekly Al Arabiya talk show “Edaat” (Spotlights) provided an opportunity for proponents of Arab and Islamic social reform to make their case to a mass audience. Turki also owns Al Mesbar Studies and Research Centre and Madarek Publishing House in Dubai. He has received several awards and honors, including the America Abroad Media annual award for his role in supporting civil society, human rights and advancing women’s roles in Gulf societies. He tweets @TurkiAldakhil.