ASSESSMENTS

Bad Blood Still Flows Between Algeria and Morocco

May 3, 2016 | 09:30 GMT

Old Animosities Renew Between Algeria and Morocco
A Polisario Front member shows a map of Western Sahara at a museum in the Sahrawi refugee camp of Rabouni.

(FAROUK BATICHE/AFP/Getty Images)

Suspicion and unease are creeping back into Algeria-Morocco relations. There is an undeniable shift in power occurring between the neighboring countries, as Algeria's military spending has outpaced Morocco's over the last few years. Large-scale Algerian arms purchases in 2016 reinforce the likelihood that Algiers will continue investing extensively in its military. As Algeria bolsters its forces, Morocco's position in the region will only get more precarious, especially if a crisis or conflict erupts. To counter Algeria, Rabat will seek alternative strategies to retain its security. But whether Morocco chooses to do so through select military procurements or through alliances, there is no guarantee its forces can match Algeria's new weaponry. ...

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