Montuno
...como el Son...
About your first paragraph:
I do not see that the text uses the hypocrisy of some to ask not to help Ukraine. Rather the other way around: it is an argument for helping the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic in the same way, in the face of the Moroccan invasion.
Remember that this people already knew what "international abandonment" is, both in the Spanish Civil War and after the Moroccan invasion from the very moment they became independent from Spain.
And I must emphasize the importance of this opposition to Putin's invasion of the Sahrawis, because they know that just by being the worst problem of the biggest US ally in the region, Russia could help them (as the USSR already did), and as the Moroccan regime and Putin have had many contacts lately.
About your second:
I think you ignore that Israel and Morocco were already allies long before Trump arrived. Israel was the main technical help (along with and to a lesser extent, I believe, Apartheid South Africa and the USA ) to build the Moroccan Wall or Sahara Wall: the largest military dividing wall in the world, nearly 3,000 kilometers long.And it was the U.S. that mainly armed that wall militarily. Saudí Arabian puts de money.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moro...rn_Sahara_Wall
And as for the almost unconditional US support for Morocco before Trump (although this one will already raise it to total), you can see it in these excerpts copied from simple generic electronic internet encyclopedias:
Precedent:
While President Donald Trump had yet to publicly announce his position on the conflict over Western Sahara, like his predecessor, President Barack Obama, President Bill Clinton set a precedent that President George W. Bush followed. Both Presidents Clinton and Bush sided with Morocco and maintained the position that "genuine autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty [is] the only viable solution."[39] Furthermore, according to a Congressional Research Service (CRS) report released in December 2008, the official position of the U.S. government is to support Morocco in the dispute over Western Sahara. The report stated, "The United States supports the UN effort and has urged the parties to focus on autonomy, a solution that would not destabilize its ally, Morocco."[40] Militarily, the United States has been Morocco's primary source of armaments in the conflict over Western Sahara. The United States provided major support for the Royal Moroccan Air Force, which was critical when the Polisario Front began using Soviet-built weapons such as the Soviet-built SA-6 surface to air missiles to counter the growing effectiveness of Morocco's Royal Moroccan Air Force.[35] Thus, the United States has a history of supporting Morocco in its conflict over Western Sahara.
1975-2006 :
In the 1970s, the United States made an effort to modernize Morocco's military to help with its conflict over Western Sahara. The United States focused particularly on Morocco's Royal Moroccan Air Force. U.S. assistance was especially important when the Polisario deployed Soviet-made SA-6 surface-to-air missiles to counter the growing effectiveness of Morocco's Royal Moroccan Air Force.[35] However, the Carter Administration tied military support and arms sales to Morocco with preconditions, stating that the U.S. would only exchange military supplies with Morocco for the purpose of modernizing Morocco's military, but not to assist with the conflict over Western Sahara. On the other hand, the Reagan Administration removed all conditions for supporting the Moroccans, as the need to establish bases in North Africa for the Joint Task Force Rapid Deployment made access to Moroccan airfields strategically important.[35] Beginning with the George H. W. Bush Administration, the focus of U.S. security assistance efforts in Morocco centered on maintaining and sustaining U.S. source equipment in the Moroccan Armed Forces.[35] In the 1980s and early 1980s, the U.S. military was the only U.S. military force in Morocco that was able to provide military supplies to the Moroccan Armed Forces, and the U.S. was able to provide them to Morocco.
In the 1980s and early 1990s, Morocco obtained about $1 billion annually from Saudi Arabia to purchase arms and supplies from the United States to fight POLISARIO and defend its claim to Western Sahara. [41] In November 1986, the U.S. military conducted joint exercises with Morocco off the coast of Western Sahara. In September 1987, the U.S. government sold Morocco 100 M-48A5 tanks, used for desert terrain.[42] In the late 1990s and early 2000s, the U.S. remained relatively silent on the issue, although it provided tacit support to Morocco.[43] The U.S. government also sold Morocco 100 M-48A5 tanks, used for desert terrain.
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, the United States remained relatively silent on the issue, although it provided tacit support to Morocco.
2007-2008 :
In 2007, Morocco offered the POLISARIO a proposal for autonomy as an immediate and permanent solution between the two parties. Some authors claim that it is the first non-maximalist approach that both sides have offered,[44] while others describe it as an old attempt (copied from a 2003 proposal) with no credibility.[45][46] Theoretically, in Morocco's autonomy plan, the only issues that the Moroccan government would control for Western Sahara would be international relations and foreign and domestic security. Western Sahara would control all other matters, including: government administration, taxation, education, budgets, policing, and election of officials (although past movements of Moroccans to Western Sahara would not be reversed).[47] The Moroccan government would control all other matters.
While the two current and previous U.S. presidential administrations have not been deeply involved in the dispute over Western Sahara, the idea of resolving the conflict in Morocco's favor has many supporters in U.S. political circles, Including strong support from the U.S. House of Representatives in June 2007, former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, 173 members of Congress from all major U.S. political parties and 15 influential figures involved in national security and foreign policy signed a letter to President George W. Bush encouraging the president to get involved and help end the fighting. The letter cited international stability, the war on terrorism, economic integration and a long-standing alliance with Morocco as some of the reasons to support Morocco and bring closure to the conflict over Western Sahara. The letter stated, "Morocco's commitment deserves the support of the international community..."[48] The letter stated.
Similarly, in an official statement to a Congressional hearing held in June 2007, the Kingdom of Morocco stated: "We recognize that fundamental compromises must be made to resolve this problem and free our region to move forward together. Morocco's recent initiative in the United Nations Security Council, supported by the letter signed by 173 members of Congress, is intended to demonstrate our willingness to make such compromises in the interest of all the peoples of the Maghreb and in particular of the Sahara. In that same spirit, we appreciate the attention of your Committee in helping us to move this issue toward a successful resolution."[50]
Speaking at the same 2007 hearing, former US Assistant Secretary of State David Welch stated that the State Department supported Morocco on the Western Sahara issue. He explained that the conflict is a "... destabilizing element [that] frustrates regional ties, which are necessary for economic expansion, and has had an effect on government-to-government cooperation within the Maghreb."[51] He then affirmed the State Department's role by stating, "We have welcomed, Mr. Chairman, Morocco's recent initiative to resolve the dispute.... We consider Morocco's proposal to provide real autonomy for Western Sahara to be serious and credible."[51] Conversely, with respect to the Polisario Front's proposal, Welch stated: "The POLISARIO proposal ... does not appear, in our view, to contain any new ideas ..."[52] In response to the 2007 letter addressed to the Polisario Front, Welch stated
In response to the 2007 letter to President Bush, the Congressional Research Service's 2008 report stated, "U.S. officials would prefer a more comprehensive and comprehensive approach to the Polisario Front. U.S. officials would prefer a solution to the Western Sahara dispute that would not destabilize the government of Mohammed VI. They also believe that a settlement would enhance regional stability and economic prosperity."[53] Despite all of this, the U.S. has not been able to find a solution to the Western Sahara dispute.
Despite all this, the United States has not yet formally recognized Morocco's legitimate authority over Western Sahara or Western Saharan sovereignty.[53] However, the 2008 CRS Report noted that in 2007 U.S. Under Secretary of State Nicholas Burns endorsed Morocco's 2007 autonomy plan as "serious and credible."[53] As of 2008, Moroccan forces in the Western Sahara have not formally recognized Morocco's legitimate authority over Western Sahara or Western Saharan sovereignty.
As of 2008, Moroccan forces in Western Sahara number about 100,000 (mostly Moroccan Army), while the POLISARIO is only supported by about 3,000 to 6,000 troops.[54] As of 2008, Moroccan forces in Western Sahara number about 100,000 (mostly Moroccan Army), while the POLISARIO is only supported by about 3,000 to 6,000 troops.[54] As of 2008, Moroccan forces in Western Sahara total about 100,000 (the majority of the Moroccan Army), while the POLISARIO is only supported by some 3,000 to 6,000 soldiers.[54] The POLISARIO is also supported by some 3,000 to 6,000 troops.
2009 - 2020 :
In April 2009, 229 members of the U.S. House of Representatives, a clear majority and more than 50 others who signed the letter in 2007, called on President Barack Obama to support Morocco's peace plan and help bring closure to the conflict. The signatories included Democratic Majority Leader Steny Hoyer and Republican Minority Leader John Boehner. In addition to noting that Western Sahara has become a recruiting ground for radical Islamists, the letter stated that the conflict is "the greatest obstacle to the security and cooperation needed to combat" terrorism in the Maghreb. [55] The letter referred to UN Security Council Resolution 1813 (2008), and encouraged President Obama to follow the policy set by President Clinton and then President Bush by stating that "genuine autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty [is] the only viable solution."[55] The congressmen expressed concern about the viability of Western Sahara. They referred to a UN fact-finding mission to Western Sahara that confirmed the State Department's view that the Polisario proposal, which ultimately represents independence, would lead to a non-viable state.[55] In conclusion, the letter stated, "We remain convinced that the U.S. position favoring autonomy for Western Sahara under Moroccan sovereignty is the only viable solution. We urge you to respect this longstanding policy and to make clear, in words and actions, that the United States will work to ensure that the United Nations process continues to support this framework as the only realistic compromise that can bring this unfortunate and protracted conflict to an end."[55]
Members of the U.S. Senate, noticing similar "disturbing trends" in the region, also drafted a letter of support for Morocco. In March 2010, a bipartisan majority of U.S. Senators signed a letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton calling for U.S. support for Morocco's autonomy plan. Similar to the House letter to President Obama, the 54 bipartisan senators (30 Democrats and 24 Republicans) who signed the letter expressed concerns about growing instability in the region, including a terrorist threat.[56] The letter openly urged Secretary Clinton and the Obama Administration to provide: ".... more sustained U.S. attention to one of the region's most pressing political problems, Western Sahara."[56] The letter further stated: "As you acknowledged in your remarks in Morocco last November, it has been U.S. policy to support a resolution of this conflict based on this formula since President Clinton's administration. We support this bipartisan U.S. policy and the efforts of the United Nations to bring all parties together to resolve this issue peacefully at the negotiating table."[56] Signatories included Senate Intelligence Committee Chairwoman Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Senator Kit Bond ranking member of the Intelligence Committee (R-MO). Regarding Morocco's autonomy plan, Senator Feinstein said, "In my view, Morocco has been a staunch ally of the United States, this is a big problem, and this is a reasonable way to solve it."[57]
2020 - present :
On October 2, 2020 during Defense Secretary Mark Esper's visit to Morocco on a tour of North Africa, Washington and Rabat signed an agreement for full cooperation in the military strategic field, the acquisition of arms and equipment, military training in all sectors, as well as intelligence between the two countries.[58]
On December 10, 2020, the administration of US President Donald Trump officially recognized Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara, in an exchange of favors for Morocco to establish formal diplomatic relations and recognize the State of Israel.[59] The diplomatic maneuver includes the military agreement seen above, plus an investment program destined for the Alawite kingdom,[60] as well as access to the purchase of US F-35 fifth-generation fighter jets, previously vetoed to the country.[61] The agreement also includes the signing of an agreement with the United States for the purchase of the F-35 fighter jets.
