في مقال الزميل تركي الرجعان بعنوان «بريطانيا.. هل يقاس أمن الدول بجريمة قتل؟»، والمنشور بتاريخ 10/8/2025 بصحيفة «عكاظ»، جاءت الصياغة بلغة رشيقة وسرد متماسك، وهو ما يُحسب له من حيث البناء الأدبي. غير أن المقال افتقد إلى جوهر المسألة وهو الدليل على ما تم تضمينه في مقاله. فعندما يكون الحديث عن أمن الدول ومكانتها، لا تكفي العاطفة، بل لا بد من مؤشرات وبيانات موثقة. فالأمن ليس قصة تُروى، بل مؤشرات تُثبت. فرأيت أنه من المناسب أن أقدّم هذا الرد لتوضيح أبعاد المسألة، وتصحيح بعض الانطباعات التي وردت، وإبراز أن الحكم على أمن الدول لا يكون بالسرد الأدبي، وإنما بالتحليل المؤسسي المبني على البيانات.
لا يختلف اثنان على أن الجريمة ظاهرة بشرية لا تنعدم في أي مجتمع، مهما بلغ من التطوّر، فالتاريخ الإنساني كله شاهد على أن الجرائم رافقت المجتمعات منذ نشأتها. لكن الفارق بين دولة وأخرى لا يُقاس بمجرد وقوع الجريمة، بل بحجمها النسبي في المجتمع، وبآليات الردع والعقاب، وبقدرة الدولة على استعادة الثقة بسرعة بعد أي حادثة. هنا تتبدى قوة الدولة أو ضعفها. ولهذا فإن اختزال أمن بريطانيا أو غيرها من الدول في حادثة قتل واحدة يظل تبسيطاً مخلاً لا يعكس الواقع المركب. فالمعيار العادل أن نضع أي حادثة في إطارها الإحصائي، ونقارنها بالمعدلات العالمية، لا أن نرفعها إلى مستوى التوصيف الشامل لدولة كاملة.
استند المقال إلى استمرار الابتعاث السعودي إلى بريطانيا باعتباره شهادة ضمنية على أمنها. وهذه رؤية تحتاج إلى تدقيق أكبر. فالابتعاث قرار سيادي وإستراتيجي، غايته في الأصل أكاديمية وتنموية، تخضع مخرجاته لتقييمات دورية تتجاوز الجانب الأمني. نعم، من المؤكد أن الدولة لا تغامر بأبنائها، وهي تزن المخاطر بدقة، لكن استمرار الابتعاث لا يعني منح أي دولة صك أمان مطلق. يكفي أن نتذكر أن المملكة علّقت الابتعاث في فترات سابقة عن بعض الدول لأسباب صحية أو سياسية أو أمنية، ما يدل على أن القرار مرن ويُراجع باستمرار. وبالتالي، فإن وجود مبتعثين سعوديين في بريطانيا هو مؤشر على ثقة متوازنة، لكنه ليس دليلاً حاسماً على انعدام المخاطر.
ومن المثير أن المقال، رغم نقده للخطاب الشعبوي، وقع في فخ مشابه حين اكتفى بالانطباعات والسرديات دون الرجوع إلى مؤشرات موضوعية. في حين أن تقييم الأمن في أي دولة يُبنى على تقارير وبيانات، مثل معدل الجرائم لكل مئة ألف نسمة، نسبة القضايا التي يتم كشفها والتحقيق فيها، كفاءة الأجهزة الشرطية والقضائية، ومستوى الثقة المجتمعية بالمؤسسات الأمنية. هذه المؤشرات ليست ترفاً إحصائياً، بل أدوات معيارية تتبناها تقارير دولية كـGlobal Peace Index وNumbeo Crime Index، وتعتمد عليها الحكومات في رسم سياساتها. ومن دون هذه البيانات، يظل أي حديث عن أمن الدول مجرد انطباع شخصي، مهما صيغ بلغة رصينة.
ويحسن هنا أن نستحضر السياق السعودي. فالمملكة، حين تقع فيها جريمة، كما يحدث في أي مكان في العالم، تبادر أجهزتها الأمنية إلى التعامل معها بسرعة وفعالية وشفافية، وتُعلن نتائج التحقيق بوضوح للرأي العام. هذا النمط المتكرر عزّز ثقة المواطنين والمقيمين في المنظومة، وأكد أن الأمن عندنا ليس شعاراً إعلامياً بل ممارسة مؤسسية راسخة. الأهم أن هذه المنظومة الأمنية لم تُختبر فقط في القضايا الداخلية، بل في ملفات كبرى ترتبط بسمعة المملكة ومكانتها الدولية: في الحج والعمرة، حيث يُدار الملايين من الزوّار في مساحة محدودة بأعلى درجات الانضباط؛ وفي السياحة والاستثمار، حيث أصبح الأمن أحد عوامل الجذب الرئيسة لبيئة الأعمال. هذه كلها شواهد عملية على أن الأمن في المملكة ليس مجرد خطب أو عناوين، بل حقيقة معيشة يومياً، تشهد بها الوقائع قبل الكلمات. ومن هذا المنطلق، فإن المملكة حين تُقيّم أمن غيرها من الدول، فإنها تفعل ذلك بمعايير مؤسسية دقيقة، لا بانطباعات عاطفية أو أحكام متسرّعة.
خلاصة القول: الأمن لا يعني غياب الجريمة تماماً، فهذا أمر غير واقعي، وإنما يعني وجود منظومة متكاملة تمنع التسيب، وتكشف الجريمة بسرعة، وتحاسب الجناة، وتعيد للمجتمع ثقته. الأمن ليس قصة تُروى، بل مؤشرات تُثبت. وحين يغيب الدليل، يبقى كل ما يُكتب مجرد انطباع عابر لا يرقى إلى مستوى الحقيقة.
فراس طرابلسي
الأمن ليس قصة تُروى.. بل مؤشرات تُثبت
19 سبتمبر 2025 - 00:08
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آخر تحديث 19 سبتمبر 2025 - 00:08
تابع قناة عكاظ على الواتساب
In the article by my colleague Turki Al-Rujaan titled "Britain... Is a country's security measured by a murder?", published on 10/8/2025 in the newspaper "Okaz", the writing was characterized by elegant language and cohesive narration, which is commendable in terms of literary construction. However, the article lacked the essence of the matter, which is evidence for what was included in his article. When discussing the security of nations and their status, emotion alone is not sufficient; there must be documented indicators and data. Security is not a story to be told, but indicators to be proven. Therefore, I found it appropriate to present this response to clarify the dimensions of the issue, correct some impressions that were mentioned, and highlight that the assessment of a country's security is not based on literary narration, but rather on institutional analysis grounded in data.
There is no disagreement that crime is a human phenomenon that does not disappear in any society, no matter how developed it may be; the entirety of human history bears witness that crimes have accompanied societies since their inception. However, the difference between one country and another is not measured merely by the occurrence of crime, but by its relative size in society, the mechanisms of deterrence and punishment, and the state's ability to restore trust quickly after any incident. Here, the strength or weakness of the state becomes evident. Therefore, reducing the security of Britain or any other country to a single murder incident remains a misleading simplification that does not reflect the complex reality. The fair standard is to place any incident within its statistical context and compare it to global averages, rather than elevating it to the level of a comprehensive description of an entire country.
The article relied on the continued Saudi scholarship to Britain as an implicit endorsement of its security. This perspective requires greater scrutiny. Scholarship is a sovereign and strategic decision, primarily aimed at academic and developmental goals, and its outcomes are subject to periodic evaluations that go beyond the security aspect. Yes, it is certain that the state does not risk its citizens, weighing the risks carefully, but the continuation of scholarships does not mean granting any country a certificate of absolute safety. It suffices to remember that the Kingdom suspended scholarships to some countries in previous periods for health, political, or security reasons, indicating that the decision is flexible and continuously reviewed. Thus, the presence of Saudi scholarship students in Britain is an indicator of balanced trust, but it is not conclusive evidence of the absence of risks.
Interestingly, the article, despite its critique of populist discourse, fell into a similar trap by relying on impressions and narratives without referring to objective indicators. Evaluating security in any country is based on reports and data, such as the crime rate per hundred thousand people, the percentage of cases that are solved and investigated, the efficiency of police and judicial agencies, and the level of community trust in security institutions. These indicators are not a statistical luxury, but normative tools adopted by international reports like the Global Peace Index and the Numbeo Crime Index, and relied upon by governments in shaping their policies. Without this data, any discussion about the security of nations remains merely a personal impression, no matter how eloquently it is expressed.
It is worth recalling the Saudi context here. When a crime occurs in the Kingdom, as happens anywhere in the world, its security agencies promptly address it with speed, effectiveness, and transparency, clearly announcing the results of investigations to the public. This repeated pattern has enhanced the trust of citizens and residents in the system, confirming that security for us is not just a media slogan but a solid institutional practice. More importantly, this security system has not only been tested in domestic issues but also in major files related to the Kingdom's reputation and international standing: during Hajj and Umrah, where millions of visitors are managed in a limited space with the highest levels of discipline; and in tourism and investment, where security has become one of the main attractions for the business environment. All of these are practical evidence that security in the Kingdom is not merely speeches or headlines, but a daily lived reality, as evidenced by facts before words. From this standpoint, when the Kingdom assesses the security of other countries, it does so with precise institutional standards, not emotional impressions or hasty judgments.
In conclusion: security does not mean the complete absence of crime, as this is unrealistic, but rather the existence of a comprehensive system that prevents chaos, detects crime swiftly, holds perpetrators accountable, and restores trust to the community. Security is not a story to be told, but indicators to be proven. And when evidence is absent, everything written remains merely a fleeting impression that does not rise to the level of truth.
There is no disagreement that crime is a human phenomenon that does not disappear in any society, no matter how developed it may be; the entirety of human history bears witness that crimes have accompanied societies since their inception. However, the difference between one country and another is not measured merely by the occurrence of crime, but by its relative size in society, the mechanisms of deterrence and punishment, and the state's ability to restore trust quickly after any incident. Here, the strength or weakness of the state becomes evident. Therefore, reducing the security of Britain or any other country to a single murder incident remains a misleading simplification that does not reflect the complex reality. The fair standard is to place any incident within its statistical context and compare it to global averages, rather than elevating it to the level of a comprehensive description of an entire country.
The article relied on the continued Saudi scholarship to Britain as an implicit endorsement of its security. This perspective requires greater scrutiny. Scholarship is a sovereign and strategic decision, primarily aimed at academic and developmental goals, and its outcomes are subject to periodic evaluations that go beyond the security aspect. Yes, it is certain that the state does not risk its citizens, weighing the risks carefully, but the continuation of scholarships does not mean granting any country a certificate of absolute safety. It suffices to remember that the Kingdom suspended scholarships to some countries in previous periods for health, political, or security reasons, indicating that the decision is flexible and continuously reviewed. Thus, the presence of Saudi scholarship students in Britain is an indicator of balanced trust, but it is not conclusive evidence of the absence of risks.
Interestingly, the article, despite its critique of populist discourse, fell into a similar trap by relying on impressions and narratives without referring to objective indicators. Evaluating security in any country is based on reports and data, such as the crime rate per hundred thousand people, the percentage of cases that are solved and investigated, the efficiency of police and judicial agencies, and the level of community trust in security institutions. These indicators are not a statistical luxury, but normative tools adopted by international reports like the Global Peace Index and the Numbeo Crime Index, and relied upon by governments in shaping their policies. Without this data, any discussion about the security of nations remains merely a personal impression, no matter how eloquently it is expressed.
It is worth recalling the Saudi context here. When a crime occurs in the Kingdom, as happens anywhere in the world, its security agencies promptly address it with speed, effectiveness, and transparency, clearly announcing the results of investigations to the public. This repeated pattern has enhanced the trust of citizens and residents in the system, confirming that security for us is not just a media slogan but a solid institutional practice. More importantly, this security system has not only been tested in domestic issues but also in major files related to the Kingdom's reputation and international standing: during Hajj and Umrah, where millions of visitors are managed in a limited space with the highest levels of discipline; and in tourism and investment, where security has become one of the main attractions for the business environment. All of these are practical evidence that security in the Kingdom is not merely speeches or headlines, but a daily lived reality, as evidenced by facts before words. From this standpoint, when the Kingdom assesses the security of other countries, it does so with precise institutional standards, not emotional impressions or hasty judgments.
In conclusion: security does not mean the complete absence of crime, as this is unrealistic, but rather the existence of a comprehensive system that prevents chaos, detects crime swiftly, holds perpetrators accountable, and restores trust to the community. Security is not a story to be told, but indicators to be proven. And when evidence is absent, everything written remains merely a fleeting impression that does not rise to the level of truth.


