Morocco: Section 3 - Analysis

摘要

Morocco's strategic location at the Strait of Gibraltar, proximity to Spain and France, security ties to the West, domestic conflict in Western Sahara, and the nascent presence of radical Islamic groups in its territory, all figure into the nation's security equation. Like his predecessors, King Mohammed VI has pursued close economic and security ties with the West, including extending notable support for U.S. interests. In exchange, Morocco has received military aid from the U.S., France, Spain, and several other Mediterranean nations in order to help stabilize the North African government. However, Rabat's disposition toward the West is in direct conflict with a growing segment of the Moroccan population that is influenced by radical Islamic groups. Drawn largely from the sizable number of unemployed people living in the urban centers, disaffected citizens are beginning to agitate against Morocco's pro-Western dynastic government, using terrorism (as evidenced in April 2003 and April 2007) as an outlet. Complicating these developments is Morocco's de facto occupation of Western Sahara. The indigenous independence movement, Polisario, has been actively resisting Moroccan rule for decades, with varying degrees of success. With Morocco facing international pressure and more important domestic security challenges, the Polisario is poised to again attempt to gain self-rule for the Western Sahara.