The Pending Crisis in North Africa

Abstract

The weaknesses of the existing government leadership in Algeria point to eventual implosion, with either a return to 1960s warlordism or seizure of power by Islamic radicals. A radically oriented Islamic government would have an immediate and negative effect on the stability of the Maghreb. Tunisians fear a domino effect. The Tunisians oppose concessions to Islamic activists, both in Tunisia and in Algeria. They prefer tough law-and-order measures in both countries in what they believe is a zero-sum game. The Tunisians are uncomfortable with U.S. policies ostracizing Qadhafi and Saddam Hussein, as well as official U.S. criticism of tight political and security controls by the Tunisian government. They believe that Washington is not focusing on the most critical threat to the region's stability; the rise of radical Islam as a hostile political force. Regional security issues on which the United States has focused (proliferation of weapons of mass destruction in the Mediterranean, Libyan mischief, and unrest in the Western Sahara) are discounted by the Tunisians.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 1994
Accession Number
ADA394637

Entities

People

  • Wiiliam Lewis

Organizations

  • National Defense University

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Counter WMD

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Africa
  • Arms Control
  • Arms Control Treaties
  • European Communities
  • Governments
  • Middle East
  • National Security
  • Negotiations
  • North Africa
  • Nuclear Weapons
  • Political Security
  • Regional Security
  • Security
  • Terrorists
  • United States
  • Weapons
  • Weapons Of Mass Destruction

Readers

  • Political Violence and Terrorism Studies.
  • Strategic Security Studies