| Power Struggle Between Algeria’s President Bouteflika and Head of Military Intelligence |
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 The arrangement between Algeria’s President Bouteflika and the Algerian military intelligence all-powerful DRS, the Military Directorate of Intelligence and security, is in trouble.Last January, a political earthquake shook the Algerian government, the removal and placement under judicial review of Sonatrach's president and four of its vice-presidents. It was unprecedented. In Algeria, the state oil Monopoly Sonatrach is a real state within the state (120,000 employees, 98% of Algeria’s exports and 60% of its budget revenues). No one thought, until today, to intervene in this holy of holies, the state oil Business, not even the Muslim extremists, during Algeria's civil war, did not dare to interfere. Through the now deposed ex-President of Sonatrach, it is the current oil minister, Mr. Chakib Khelil, a close ally of president Bouteflika, who is in the crosshairs. Behind these maneuvers is the all powerful General Mediene, also known as “Toufik”, the Head of the Military Directorate of Intelligence and security - DRS, (since 1990 ! )and the real boss in Algeria. General Mediene, however, had supported president bouteflika in the 1999, 2004 and 2009 elections. It was a decisive support, so why the declaration of war and why now? Lately, president bouteflika has crossed a double yellow line. First, the president appointed his own brother, Said bouteflika, as an Adviser to the Presidency and a possible successor. "Apparently president Bouteflika has forgotten who made him King." Said a French Diplomat. The Second issue, since last fall, the Algerian president has been making sensational statements against corruption …in "sensitive positions of responsibility", the type of statements that the Algerian military dislikes. And the response came quickly. The DRS, through selected investigations is going after President Bouteflika's friends. The current oil minister has been invincible for a long time. Minister Khelil has had good relations with the Bush administration, especially with Dick Cheney. But with the advent of Barak Obama, everything has changed. The U.S. Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, said lately that the issues within Sonatrach were "a purely Algerian affair". Article first published in French at bachich
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Madani Mohamed
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hile MoroccoBoard.com encourages discussion on all subjects, including sensitive ones, the comments posted are solely the views of those submitting them. MoroccoBoard.com does not necessarily endorse or agree with the ideas, views, or opinions voiced in these comments. This is a moderated forum. Comments deemed abusive, offensive, or those containing profanity may not be published.
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SG UNJA Je pense que ce site internet travail plus pour briser le monde arabe que pour amener un plus. Aussi, j'aimerais bien que l'auteur de cet article puisse voir la réalité, l'Algérie d'aujourd'hui ce porte bien, remarque que les investisseurs du monde entier se bousculent pour avoir un marché ou plutôt une place sur le marché Algérien. Enfin pour les relations Algéro-Marocaine je souhaiterai de tous mon coeur qu'ils vont ce rétablir dans un avenir très proche, et on doit pas oublier nous les peuples du maghrèbe que nous sommes un seul peuple, et In Ch'Allah le maghrèb des peuples sera un seul ETAT prochainement. |
Elias .
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Morocco and Algeria the same crap . Both Algeria and Morocco have no democracy and live in tyranny and dictatorship . Monarchy does not believe in equality and one family with its friends control the whole nation . Few algerian army Generals control every inch of Algeria . where on earth do you see either freedom or democracy in either morocco or Algeria?. You must be living in illusion and hallucinations . |
Djamel
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The truth is sometimes stranger than fiction Morcelli, You're right, anyone can come up with a ranking to suit his own agenda, that's why I never pay attention to that garbage. As for Bouteflika, his biggest mistake was amending the constitution to run for a third term while grooming his brother for an eventual takeover, and that's exactly why Algeria needs its military to keep him from causing further damage. It is the army that saved the country from becoming an Islamic state in 1991 by canceling the national assembly elections and standing up to the terrorists, and it is the same army that will make sure that Bouteflika will never become another North African president for life. The Algerians are somehow divided when it comes to him, some credit him with ending the violence in Algeria and are willing to back him up regardless of his mistakes, and others see him as someone who hasn't achieved anything other than amass too much power, the fact that he failed miserably at encouraging new blood in the government is the icing on the cake for those who can't wait for a real change, similar to the Spanish post Franco one, and not the typical Arabo/Islamist pseudo political change means for the semi illiterates. While some Moroccans may view the Algerian military as enemies, I can assure you that the biggest enemy to both Algeria and Morocco is France and no other. They are the ones who will do anything to preserve the status quo between the two countries, which allows them to maintain still a certain control over the region. The same could be said about the Americans, but then again, in the words of Samuel L. Jackson in Jackie Brown, "you can't trust the Americans, but you can always trust the Americans to be Americans." |
Morcelli
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Djamel Djamel, The latest report for EIU still classify Algiers as the 2nd worst livable city in the world Here see for yourself the latest 2010 report. http://www.eiu.com/site_info.asp?info_name=The_Global_Liveability_Report_Press_Release&page=noads But i do not agree with their rankings. Any publication can come up with their own ranking to sell their reports. Still you you cannot deny that Bouteflika and his clan are destroying your great country. |
majid berkani
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we haven't choosen anything to yf you say we the people of morocco have choosen our political system and the system of governance. come on the people of morocco have never choosen anything and these elections that are helds are nothing but a big farce hence only 30% of the public votes. In the end of the day any one with a brain in morocco knows the king makes the descisions and not the people. we the people of morocco have been reduced to subjects of the king and nothing more. all these changes is a result of pressure from the european union and not genuinly because the moroccan makhzen wants to serve the public. morocco have no other option than obey what the europeans tell him to do, because of the sahara conflict. im a riffian myself from a region in morocco that have been completely neglected and forgotten. to me it wouldnt make a diffrence if rif was a part of algeria or as it is today a part of morocco - both are totalitarian regimes. |
Djamel
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Let's be fair @Mo Raad First of all, that article dates from 2005, barely a few years after the Algerian civil war has ended, and Algiers' rank is based solely on the security front, which in a way is understandable. Trying to link that old ranking to anything else is misleading at best, and anyone who ever set foot in Algiers will realize why it was voted best city in the world in 1954, and why it is still the most beautiful city in Africa by far, and I have visited quite a few. Incidentally, I remember reading an article where Riyadh (Saudi Arabia) was voted as worst city in the world, which I found quite amusing. |
Y.F as a reply to Majid Berkany
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Maybe it's time to see things in a different way Dear brother, If in Morocco there are prostitutes, in Algeria a citizen who goes out to work in the morning doesn't know if he will come back home because of terrorist attacks. I think We should remember that, if we have different ways of considering things, it"s not a reason to for us to be enemies. We have chosen our way of living, our political system, we have our social problems but at least, now in Morocco, we are living a thorough change in many aspects and it's only those who live in Morocco who feel this change happening. Maybe in Algeria, with the dirty image Algerian media tries to give on Morocco everyday, Algerian people continue to consider Morocco as an enemy. Can you please tell why does Algeria refuse to open borders with Morocco? Please don't give those ridiculous reasons that are always given by Algerian (military) leaders. Maybe if Algerian people has the opportunity to see Morocco as a brother country, many things will change. We like Algerian people, but we hate the Military leaders who have the first and last word in Algeria and who unfortunately continue to put obstacles to the birth of a strong Arabian Maghreb. |
Mo Raad
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Algiers, 2rd-worst city in the world! Isn't it a shame that in spite of all that wealth, Algiers ranks second-worst city in the world? Check: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/4306936.stm |
Morocelli
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Morocco is freer Moroccan media do mention prostitution in Morocco perhaps not the official media, but here is is an example. I think you live in denial dude. http://www.telquel-online.com/347/index_347.shtml |
majid berkani
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give me a break Y.F, you start your writing with "he who lives in glass shouldn't start throwing stones", that's exactly what i mean by saying there's no difference between morocco and Algeria when it comes to way of governance. it's typical Moroccan patriots to argue like you do and support anything the Moroccan governance do. you say its only because morocco has reached a level of informational freedom that you hear about prostitution - come on, i have never seen this issue being covered by the official news media. you might be right that prostitution exist everywhere but morocco is among the top 5 countries when it comes to export of prostitutes and destinations of sex tourism. you say the king spends less time governing morocco - who are you kidding? |
Y.F as a reply to Majid Berkany;
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He who lives in glass, shouldn't throw stones First of all, the first step of freedom is to be able to inform people about what happens in their country in order to find solutions. The very powerful military dictatoship prevents Algerian people from telling what happens really in their country. So all what you said about prostitution and so on are such matters that exists everywhere in the world and it's only in countries that have really began the path of democracy that we hear about this. Second, you speak about the fact that Morocco will never be democratic because we have a king in Morocco, I just want to remind you that in Morocco, we have a king who spent up till now less time in governing Morocco than president of Algeria. Who knows, maybe we will hear about another rearrangement of the constitution in order to give Bout the possibility to remain president another mandate but anyway, even if this doesn't happen, he is preparing his brother (Said Bouteflika)to take his place as what is happening in most of Arab countries. We in Morocco, at least we do not change our king because it is our choice. and because we like him and because he is is very interested in social matters, and because he is leading very democratic reparations and we feel proud of that. Dear brother, He who lives in glass, shouldn't throw stones |
Morcelli
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Sahara still Moroccan berkani, I am not pro Morocco nor pro anyone, i just state the way i see things. I see Morocco is freer than Algeria, I see Algeria government an people against opening the border, i see Bouteflika and his Military will never try to solve the Sahara problem, I see Morocco extended it's had to Bouteflika to start new page for the benefits of both people, i see Algeria refusing that route, I see the Sahara problem continuing because ending will not serve Algeria. You or anyone else cannot deny that Morocco is freer than Algeria, the reason you seemed to be more informed about Morocco is because there have been more freedom of information in Morocco in he last 10 years. I am a product of a generation where Merda can ruin life. Everyone knows that Morocco is not the heaven that everyone wishes it to be but in comparison with Algeria, I rather be in Morocco. Let's face it, Algeria at this moment is very depressing especially when we consider the resources that this country has. Morocco does not have s....t but at least we do not feel suffocated. As for prostitutes, homosexuals, not enough mosques, and you shame of being Moroccan those are personal issues you'll have to deal with, right now I am just stating that Algeria's president and the DRS will always reconcile themselves for as long as the sahara issue is alive and that's the reason Morocco should try to solve the problem outside Algeria. We have he US, France, and Maybe Spain on our side, we need to involve these countries to take a more concrete steps to help us out instead of the usual statements in support of the autonomy. Lastly I could not agree with you more regarding your statement about the monarchic system of governing in Morocco, but would you say to those ho tell us that Morocco is not ready for real democracy? it took Europe 100's of years to build their democracy? I actually agree with that statement as well, I do not think that Moroccans are ready for real democracy. I am not ready to say, ok this person or that person will take care of rights and ill makes sure that no one will get violated. I am actually glad that we have a king who takes care of this. It sounds ridiculous but my experience with the Moroccan system, does not allow me to trust, a police officer, a municipality worker, a nurse, a doctor, a teacher, a taxi driver, a butcher, a bouncer, a waiter, commissariat employee, a mqaddem, mqaddem's brother, a tax collector, an administrator, a prostitute, the imam and moaddin I am sure that many people reading this know what I am talking about. God bless us all. |
majid berkani
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morocco is the only one to benefit from a normalization morcelli - some times its good to see things with diffrent eyes than the typycal pro-moroccan angle of this issue. You talk about morocco like its a democracy, but let me tell you something morocco will never ever be a real democracy hence the constitution of morocco forbids any changes regarding the kings position as the absolute leader of the country and the population is seen as nothing but loyal subjects (slaves) to the king. algeria is no better but not worse either. no doubt morocco is becoming more and more westernized and it's just a matter of time before all mosques in morocco are closed due to pressure from tourists to close them down. so what you have in morocco is country that will do anything for a penny. Morocco is now in top 3 countries with the highest amount of prostitutes per habitant, is that something to be proud of. what you see in morocco is an absolute disgrace. you hear about parents selling their own daughters in the local market, homosexuel paradise, sextourism and so on. for every day that goes by i feel more ashamed of being a moroccan, but i call myself a riffi. at least you still find dignity in RIF. |
Morcelli
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Sahara is Moroccan That's a scary photo of Boutef. For as as long as the Sahara issue is alive, the Algerian military and bouteflika will have no choice but to reconcile. Just like the Sahara issue unified Morocco and its monarchy after the 2 failed coup d'etat, the sahara issue unites the Algerian Military with whoever is the president. That's the reason that Algeria will never help to solve the problem, solving the issue will place Algeria in power struggle or better yet a suicide. Morocco keeps asking Algeria, let's be friends again, let's shake hands and start again, let's be brothers and sisters, that's not going to help the Algerian in anything. The Algerian government AND PEOPLE do not not want to open the borders, they think that Morocco will benefit the most and it is true Morocco will actually benefit the most not because the Algerian tourists will flood Saidiya but because the Algerians will feel that in Morocco things are opening up, if we just scrap jailing bloggers and journalists. They will feel air is changing, they will that good things can and will happen, They will feel that the same thing should happen in their own country, and that's not what the Algerian Military and bouteflika want. Let's face it Morocco is the most free North African country, if we just stop being afraid of those who write or actually type. |
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