http://www.geostrategy-direct.com/
U.S. wants to aid N. African allies but worries about Algeria's ties with Iran CAIRO On the heels of its successful campaign against Al Qaida-aligned insurgents, Algeria seeks major weapons systems and platforms from the United States, but has not agreed to submit to conditions set by the Bush administration. Officials said Washington is also concerned over Algeria's growing relationship with Iran. Algeria has also become a leading proponent of Teheran's nuclear program. The officials said Rumsfeld discussed Algerian and Tunisian relations with Iran during his visits to the nations over the past weekend. The administration has asked for an Algerian commitment to limit the use of U.S. weapons to defensive missions. Washington has also linked sales to an Algerian agreement not to transfer lethal weapons to a third party. Algiers has not provided such guarantees, officials said. For years Washington refused to sell weapons to Algeria because of its poor human rights record. They said this record has improved, and the Bush administration would consider the sale of night-vision systems, utility helicopters, radar and training. Still, the sale of major U.S. weapons platforms to Algeria could arouse alarm among other U.S. allies in North Africa. Officials pointed to Algeria's longtime dispute with neighboring Morocco over Western Sahara. Tunisia was also wary of a powerful Algeria, whose military has been based on Soviet-origin platforms. "They are nervous about the balance of power in the region," said an aide to Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld. "It's a delicate matter for us, developing a relationship with Algeria in a way that doesn't unnerve our two smaller friends." Al Qaida has targeted all three North African countries. In 2002, Al Qaida conducted a suicide bombing near an ancient Jewish synagogue in Tunisia in which 14 people were killed. During the following year, 45 people were killed in a series of coordinated suicide bombings in Casablanca, Morocco. "They have been attacked by terrorists in this country," Rumsfeld said. "They have felt the sting of that type of violence." U.S. officials said the regime of Algerian President Abdul Aziz Bouteflika has sought aircraft, munitions and combat vehicles from Washington. The platforms and systems would be used in the war against Islamic insurgency groups in Algeria. "They have an ambitious agenda and want to diversify arms procurement," an official said. Algeria outlined its military requirements during talks with Rumsfeld. On Feb. 12, Rumsfeld met Algerian leaders during his first visit to the North African state. The United States has sold non-lethal equipment to help Algeria fight the Salafist Brigade for Combat and Call. But officials said that over the past two years Algeria has sought weapons and lethal platforms, including fighter-jets and combat vehicles. -------------------------- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, [EMAIL PROTECTED] -------------------------- Brooks Isoldi, editor [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.intellnet.org Post message: [email protected] Subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] *** FAIR USE NOTICE. This message contains copyrighted material whose use has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. OSINT, as a part of The Intelligence Network, is making it available without profit to OSINT YahooGroups members who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information in their efforts to advance the understanding of intelligence and law enforcement organizations, their activities, methods, techniques, human rights, civil liberties, social justice and other intelligence related issues, for non-profit research and educational purposes only. We believe that this constitutes a 'fair use' of the copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law. If you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use,' you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
