The USA has plans to construct a military industrial base in Morocco, in view of the North African Kingdom’s leading role in combating terrorism, and its integration into the international military equation. The plan is also meant to counter Russia’s strong support to the Algerian regime militarily and politically, and Moscow’s influence in Africa, including Zimbabwe, Sudan, the Central African Republic, and Sahel-Sahara countries.
In this connection, US President Joe Biden has instructed Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to prepare an emergency plan to establish the military industrial base in the Kingdom of Morocco, the New York Daily News has reported.
According to the media, the plan was proposed during a high-level meeting at the end of December when Biden and Austin discussed America’s new global military strategy.
Biden has told Austin to push the Pentagon to facilitate the logistical and legal aspects of US defense industry investments in the North African Kingdom. The base is meant to strengthen Rabat’s leading role in combating terrorism, as well as its integration into the international military equation, through developing the Kingdom’s technical military capabilities.
According to media sources in the US, before his meeting with Austin, Biden received a detailed report from CIA Director William Burns on the expansion of Russia’s influence in Africa, including Zimbabwe, Sudan, the Central African Republic, Algeria and the Sahel-Sahara countries.
The CIA report said that Russia not only strongly supports the Algerian regime militarily and politically, but is also discussing the establishment of a large logistical base that would give it an important outlet to countries located south of the Sahara Desert. The CIA warned that this move “will threaten the interests of Washington and its allies there,” the New York Daily News said.