Check out this very insightful piece from Ahmed Charai on Huffington Post, “A Regal Response to an Undue Provocation.”
Ahmed makes a very good point that what makes Morocco stand out in a region of instability is King Mohammed VI’s visionary leadership. (It goes to show what I have always believed that good leadership, an open democratic society and well-informed and involved citizens do more for the long-term prosperity of a nation than oil could ever do.) It’s a shame that the millions of citizens in the Maghreb are being held back from their full potential because Algeria’s leadership refuses to open up, step out of the past and be a part of the 21st century.
A few years ago in a speech to the nation, King Mohammed VI very aptly described the Western Sahara conflict as an unnecessary burden for Morocco, Algeria and the international community whose time and energy are being “wasted on the complexities of a dispute from a long-gone era.” That’s the mark of a true leader, one who not only makes the tough decisions today, but focuses on the future, not the past. The King has shown this forward-thinking approach not only for the WS conflict, but on women’s rights, social development, justice reform and protecting human rights at home and abroad. The international community, particularly the U.S., should wholeheartedly support leadership like this in a region where instability threatens prosperity, safety and development for all.
A few months ago, I wrote about the early stages of the conflict in Ukraine through the lens of Sun Tzu’s The Art of War. While it appears likely that the war will carry on into the foreseeable future, enough time has passed for us to make an honest assessment of each side’s relative […]
The Ukrainian Army has made dramatic strides in the last few weeks. Ukraine’s tactical commanders have outfoxed their Russian counterparts, and by issuing a feint towards the south the UA has been able to earn substantial gains in the north of their country. The impact of these efforts have been compounded by the steady stream […]
In mid-May the Irish political party, Sinn Féin, won the plurality of seats in the Northern Ireland Assembly. Many American readers might not fully understand the significance of Sinn Féin’s political victory- but rest assured that subjects of the United Kingdom and a wide range of political movements the world over have heard the message […]
The first wave of the Russian offensive in Ukraine has fallen short of Russian autocrat Vladmir Putin’s ambitions. Most analysts deduced that Putin had hoped to achieve a decapitation strike of the Ukrainian government- taking Kiev and replacing Ukrainian President Vladimir Zolinski with a pro-Kremlin voice. Kiev has been threatened repeatedly through the course of […]
On the weekend of March 26th, the notorious MS-13 gang went on a massive killing spree in El Salvador which left more than 70 people dead by Sunday. Even for a country where powerful gangs hold massive sway, this recent tragedy stands out considering that it was the bloodiest day on record since the civil […]
