I’m going to say something that is very hard for many of you to comprehend, let alone accept. Mohammed bin Salman has steered a nation spanning more than 2 million km² through a region in flames, while keeping Saudi Arabia in a considerably stronger position than many of its neighbours. And I would argue that much of this comes down to pure pragmatism. He is not beholden to rigid ideological camps, nor that every disagreement must become a permanent confrontation. He understands that diplomacy and restraint are not weaknesses, and that national interests must take precedence over ideological posturing. Unfortunately, far too many leaders in our neighbourhood have failed miserably to grasp this. We are surrounded by some profoundly reckless and incompetent actors. Some have no reservations about murdering civilians. Some have helped plunge this region into war, only to lecture everyone else about peace and stability. And some fancy themselves exceptional political strategists, when their conduct is nothing more than arrogant, inept, and utterly incompetent. Contrast that with Saudi Arabia. Despite the Houthi terrorist attacks and the extraordinary circumstances surrounding us, Saudi society has not descended into ‘panic’, like many on this app would have you believe. Mohammed bin Salman once said, “A Saudi does not fear.” I can tell you, from my own family, friends, colleagues, and practically everyone I interact with, that this sentiment holds true. We are angry, and we grieve for those we have lost. Yet, we are not paralysed by fear, and we certainly will not allow a terrorist militia to dictate how we live. This leads me to another point: I believe Mohammed bin Salman favours diplomacy. Where diplomacy proves insufficient, there is pressure. And where pressure fails, military force always remains an option. Knowing when to employ each, and to what extent, is what distinguishes statecraft from the recklessness we have witnessed elsewhere in this region. You can criticise, and you can attack, but Saudi foreign policy is not impulsive. All decisions are carefully weighed, with their consequences considered. The Crown Prince knows that in this region, it is exceptionally easy to wage war, but far harder to exercise this degree of restraint. Yet restraint has its limits, and the safety and stability of this nation of nearly 40 million citizens and residents will always take precedence over all else.