King Hassan's Morocco: A Valuable U.S. Ally

Publication Date: March 1995

Publisher: Heritage Foundation (Washington, D.C.)

Author(s): James Phillips

Research Area: Government

Keywords: Middle East

Type: Report

Abstract:

King Hassan’s Morocco has played ah important role as a bridge between the West and the Middle East, between the developed and developing world, and between Arabs and Israelis. It is a reliable U.S. ally that can be a force for stability in an unstable region. The U.S. therefore has good reason to support King Hassan strongly and to promote his model of cautious democratization and systematic free market economic reform. But U.S. support for King Hassan’s moderate foreign policy goals and domestic reforms does not translate automatically into unquestioned support for his goals in the Western Sahara. On that issue, Washington should urge the King to explore fully the possibilities of a negotiated compromise, just as the King himself has urged Arabs and Israelis to compromise on their even more intractable disputes.