The debate was a contest between two groups who had opposing views. The debate occurred on Wednesday 28/12/2022 at the Emdeck building, class 207. The table below shows the individuals involved in the discussion. The topic of debate was having a bigger Saudi Arabian navy. Group A was for an expanded Navy while Group B was against making the navy larger. This report will critically assess and analyze the views and arguments that were raised by both teams.
Table 1: Teams who participated in the debate
Points of Argument for Group A and B
The first individual was Alharthi and the initial point set the foundation for the argument the group was making. This is because the speaker indicates that 71% of the world’s surface is made up of water and 40% of the world’s population lives near the coastline (United Nations Environment Programme, 2022). The argument was further clarified by a statement that 90% of global trade occurs in water bodies (Jouffray et al., 2020). The competition between the United States and China in the sea indicates the importance of having a large navy. The speaker concludes by indicating that Saudi Arabia also requires a bigger navy to compete with other nations and to safeguard its ships.
Against
Alharbi was the first speaker for Group B and disagreed with the view that the navy should be expanded. Alharbi replied to the issues raised by the Alharthi by first noting that a big navy requires support during deployment. The assistance can be provided by submarines and aircraft carriers, which are not available in the catalog of the Saudi army. Another important point made by Alharbi is that logistics is the most crucial aspect of naval forces around the world. The speaker concludes with the statement that there is no need to have a large navy to show off.
For
The second speaker for group A Aloabidi and disagreed with the points raised above. Aloabidi asserted that Saudi Arabia need to add equipment to make their Navy more powerful and give them an advantage over their enemies. The speaker mentions submarines and aircraft carriers as two items that can enhance the capabilities of the Navy. This is because Saudi Arabia has the 3rd largest air force in the middle east region but has no capabilities to deploy them in the open waters (Brimelow, 2022). Aloabidi concludes by saying that the country faces significant outside threats, which may necessitate the expansion of the navy to suit new and emerging needs.
Against
responds to the points made on the need to purchase new equipment for the Navy. The speaker indicates that the acquisition of a new aircraft carrier would be expensive. This is because the aircraft carrier can be expensive to maintain and it can be expensive to train new staff. Alkaoud notes that the United States’ new version of aircraft carrier costs $19.5 billion, which can increase if you add the cost to train staff and maintain the vessel (Howard, 2021). The speaker concludes by stating that the size of the crew for the ship (5500) would be a significant challenge for the Saudi Navy. This indicates that the Saudi navy would be unable to handle the massive upgrade.
For
Albidah responded to the views that Saudi Arabia is not capable of funding the purchase of new Navy equipment. The speaker indicates that the country’s oil revenues amount to close to $1 trillion, which is a significant value. Albidah states that the country’s economy is developed enough to warrant the expansion of the navy. The issue of piracy also features in the argument. Saudi Arabia experienced 135 pirate attacks in 2021, which were targeted at oil tankers (International Maritime Bureau, 2021). The speaker concludes by stating that a bigger Navy is needed because Saudi Arabia needs to protect its coastline. Protecting the ships by expanding the Navy can increase the likelihood of an increase in revenues.
Against
Alotaibi refutes the point on piracy attacks being an issue by providing stats that show the attacks have been reducing. The speaker indicates that the country has only faced one significant crisis, which was in 2008. Another aspect is that Saudi Arabia does not have international enemies like other nations such as the United States, and the United Kingdom. and China. Therefore, based on the above, Alotaibi concludes that the Saudi navy should not be expanded as there are no pressing needs.
The debate concludes with a member of each group restating the main issues. For group A, Alharthi indicates that the need to secure Saudi interests and those of their allies are reasons to make the navy large. Alharbi makes the final remarks for Group B by stating that the huge costs for purchase, training, maintenance and new facilities are not worth expanding the navy.
Techniques Used
Each of the members provided their insight into the topic during the presentation. One of the techniques used was to state a point and provide factual information that backs the issue that has been raised. Evidence helps speakers to clarify the point they are presenting (Hapsari and Wirawan, 2018). Another technique that was observed was the use of live data as the debaters had access to laptops, which enables easy research. The use of data and evidence suggests that the participants were well-prepared.
Opinion on the Debate
Group A was arguing for the expansion of the navy. Each of the members presented their points clearly and concisely. There were no instances where the information provided was unreasonable, which indicates thorough preparation. The points that each individual used to argue their case were realistic and persuasive. The speakers based their points on numbers, facts, and news to add weight to their issue and for clarification. This can be seen in the use of data to show the expensive nature of acquiring new military equipment for the navy. The group also showed a good understanding of the situation in the Saudi navy, which points to excellent research.
The presentation was done in an organized way with every member having a role to play. The points raised were weighty and convincing due to the use of data and up-to-date information. However, the point of safeguarding the interests of the country was not developed. The idea was brought up during the last instances of the debate and was not explained fully. The group provided an excellent presentation that was based on facts. The points were persuasive and the members knew the Saudi navy. Therefore, Group A was able to convince the audience due to the above-stated issues.
Group B
Group B was against the navy being expanded and provided points to convince the audience. The members gave weighty points, which were backed up by additional information and explanation. There were occasions where data was used to clarify the issues raised. The group’s main point was that costs would hinder the expansion of the navy. The team presented persuasive aspects but they did not use statistics in all the examples provided. The evidence used in some of the examples was wrong. For example, the cost of the new U.S. aircraft carrier was $13.5 billion, not the stated $6.5 billion (Howard, 2021). Some of the points raised were not clear, which may indicate inadequate preparation. For example, the point on Saudi Arabia facing only one major crisis in 2008 was not explained in the required way. This may show that the team did not have a sufficient understanding of the situation of the Saudi navy. The other issue is that the evidence provided was not enough to warrant consideration of their position. Therefore, based on the above issues Group B lost the vote.
Reference List
Brimelow, B. (2022) ‘Despite Biden’s assurances, Middle East militaries are buying their weapons to take on Iran at sea and in the air’, Business Insider Africa. Web.
Hapsari, P. D., and Wirawan, F. W. (2018) ‘The significant connection between communicative competence and cognitive ability in speaking English of the English debating team’, Humaniora, 9(2), pp. 149-159. Web.
Howard, B. (2021) ‘Expensive, massive, and lethal: The future of the aircraft carrier’, CNBC, (February). Web.
International Maritime Bureau. (2021) ICC- IMB Piracy and Armed Robbery Against Ships Report. Web.
Jouffray, J. B., Blasiak, R., Norström, A. V., Österblom, H., and Nyström, M. (2020) ‘The blue acceleration: the trajectory of human expansion into the ocean’, One Earth, 2(1), pp. 43-54. Web.
United Nations Environment Programme. (2022) Coastal zone management. Web.