Category Archives: MOROCCO

Coming Out Of The Political Closet

Posted on August 23, 2012 by

Many see Abdelilah Benkirane’s moments of candor and transparency as a breath of fresh air in Morocco’s political governance today. In a clear departure from the false demagoguery proffered by previous prime ministers, he provides a glimpse of a pervasive … Continue reading →

Posted in Abdelilah Benkirane, Ahmed Akhchichine, Arab Spring, Fouad Ali El Himma, HUMAN RIGHTS, Mohamed El Ouafa, Moroccan Constitution 2011, Moroccan Initiative, MOROCCAN JUSTICE, MOROCCO, Morocco Legislative Election 2011, Mounir Majidi, Partie de Justice and Development, Salaheddine Mezouar | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Morocco’s Great Illusion

Posted on July 7, 2012 by

For the past three months, I have been struggling with the notion that Joseph de Maistre’s famous “every country has the government it deserves,” found in his “Lettres et Opuscules Inédits vol. 1, letter 53,” is indeed an accurate delineation … Continue reading →

Posted in Abdelilah Benkirane, Child Labor, Democracy, HUMAN RIGHTS, JUSTICE, Moroccan Initiative, MOROCCAN JUSTICE, MOROCCO, Mummar Qaddafi | Tagged , | 5 Comments

African Lion 12

Posted on April 5, 2012 by

The United States Marine Corps has deployed its “Few and Proud” to Morocco to take part in African Lion 2012, a joint and combined annual iteration sponsored by the Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff (CJCS), scheduled by US … Continue reading →

Posted in African Lion, AFRICOM, Gen Carter F. Ham, General Abdelaziz Bennani, MOROCCO, US Marine Corps | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

The New Court Jester

Posted on January 24, 2012 by

Before he uttered a word, Mr. Abdelilah Benkirane, the new Moroccan Prime Minister, was made to understand he will be challenged. As he stood before the lectern to address Morocco’s bicameral Parliament, parliamentarian women stood up holding printed slogans expressing … Continue reading →

Posted in Abdelilah Benkirane, Arab World, Democracy, Freedom of the Press, HUMAN RIGHTS, Individual Freedom, MOROCCO, POVERTY | Tagged | 1 Comment

Morocco’s Museum Of Things I Can’t Afford

Posted on December 22, 2011 by

As I sat in Fanajeen, Aasmaa, Akhannouch’s café, contemplating a map of Morocco amputated of its southern provinces in a Morocco Mall brochure while sipping from my 30 dirhams cup of coffee, I couldn’t help thinking Salwa Idrisi Akhannouch, the … Continue reading →

Posted in Akhannouch, ECONOMY, MOROCCO, Morocco Mall | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

I Can’t Believe It’s Not Democracy

Posted on December 14, 2011 by

The unflappable Mr. Abdelillah Benkirane, who billed himself as a spur to political virtue, the ultimate standard-bearer willing to stake his political future on standing up for the people, has succeeded in ushering in a golden age of nonpartisanship when … Continue reading →

Posted in Abdelilah Benkirane, Democracy, Moroccan Constitution 2011, MOROCCO, Morocco Legislative Election 2011, PJD | Tagged | 6 Comments

Moroccan Government to Citizens: You Supply The Vote, We The Results

Posted on November 25, 2011 by

Surveying the Moroccan media’s coverage of today’s election, I got the impression the political parties are locked in a vicious, but healthy fight for power. I have intently read, listened, and watched as the leadership of the thirty political parties … Continue reading →

Posted in Democracy, Moroccan Constitution 2011, MOROCCO, Morocco Legislative Election 2011 | Tagged | 2 Comments

Moroccan Hospitals: Poor People Unwanted

Posted on August 17, 2011 by

Dismayed by the lack of official responsiveness to the humanitarian tragedy in southern Somalia, a group of Moroccan activists launched a campaign on facebook to sensitize the population, mobilize support, and solicit donations. They called on the Moroccan government to … Continue reading →

Posted in Al Masae, Children, Democracy, HUMAN RIGHTS, MOROCCO, POVERTY | Tagged | 7 Comments

Morocco’s Constitutional Sleight of Hand

Posted on July 13, 2011 by

The Moroccan Association for Human Rights – Association Marocaine des Droits Humains (AMDH) made public today, Tuesday July 12th, a pointed report on the July 1st constitutional referendum. It noted the government orchestrated grave transgressions that undermined the electoral process … Continue reading →

Posted in Democracy, HUMAN RIGHTS, Khaled Naceri, Moroccan Constitution 2011, MOROCCO | Tagged | 2 Comments

A Change You Can’t Believe In

Posted on July 8, 2011 by

It seems to me the Moroccan people have overwhelmingly democratically chosen an undemocratic constitution. According to Interior Minister Taieb Cherkaoui, over 70% of Moroccans went to polling stations and 98% of voters resoundingly approved the new charter as proposed by … Continue reading →

Posted in Democracy, Moroccan Constitution 2011, MOROCCO | Tagged | 3 Comments

Because the King Says “Yes”

Posted on June 24, 2011 by

Before King Mohammed VI concluded his historic speech announcing the greatly anticipated new constitution that he alleged would make Morocco into a viable democracy, thousands of jubilant Moroccans – some unsubstantiated reports described intoxicated crack heads enlisted by government handlers … Continue reading →

Posted in Democracy, MOROCCO | Tagged | 10 Comments

Morocco’s New Constitution

Posted on June 17, 2011 by

  Read why here: http://cabalamuse.wordpress.com/2011/06/24/because-the-king-says-yes/

Posted in Democracy, MOROCCO | Tagged | 9 Comments

Betting on the King

Posted on June 14, 2011 by

The confident and fantastically positive promulgations of the government’s official spokesperson, Khalid Naciri, who seems to have forgotten his moment of ignominy, that the revolution of the people AND the king – as he termed it – is on the … Continue reading →

Posted in Democracy, Freedom of the Press, Individual Freedom, MOROCCO | Tagged | 4 Comments

Silencing Rachid Nini

Posted on June 10, 2011 by

Rachid Nini, the executive editor of Al-Massae newspaper, was sentenced by a lower court in Ain Sbaa, Casablanca to one year in prison and fined one thousand Moroccan dirhams. He was charged with “grave contempt” to Morocco’s judicial system and … Continue reading →

Posted in Al Masae, Democracy, Freedom of the Press, MOROCCO, Rachid Nini | Tagged | 1 Comment

Moroccan Democratic Reform: Between the Baton and the King’s Speech

Posted on June 2, 2011 by

There is a consensus among Moroccans that the brutal clampdown of demonstrators was ordered by Moroccan Interior Minister Taieb Cherkaoui who in turn received his guidance from his King. Many believed that after Mohammed VI’s bulleted speech outlining his schedule … Continue reading →

Posted in Democracy, HUMAN RIGHTS, Mawazine, MOROCCO | Tagged | 7 Comments

Deciphering Morocco’s Military Procurement Strategy

Posted on May 31, 2011 by

On May 17, 2011, the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) advised congress on a possible foreign military sale (FMS) estimated at about 50 million U.S. dollars to Morocco. In a continuous effort to revamp its air force inventory, Morocco … Continue reading →

Posted in Algeria, Department of Defense, Military, MOROCCO, Terrorism, United States | Tagged , | Leave a comment

GCC: Scrambling for Allies

Posted on May 23, 2011 by

No serious predictive analysis could have ever averred that Morocco and Jordan would be considered for membership in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). Not even the amazing astrologer Maguy Farah could have predicted it. The GCC’s invitation for Morocco and … Continue reading →

Posted in Arab League, Arab World, Democracy, ECONOMY, GCC, MOROCCO, Saudi Arabia | Tagged | 3 Comments

Rachid Nini Arrested… Again

Posted on April 29, 2011 by

Al Massae newspaper reported that its executive editor Rachid Nini has been arrested. According to the newspaper, Mr. Nini is being investigated for articles al-Massae has been publishing the lead prosecutor at the appeals court in Casablanca, Abdellah Belghiti, in … Continue reading →

Posted in Al Masae, MOROCCO, Rachid Nini | Tagged | 6 Comments

Morocco: A Revolution of Fluff

Posted on February 22, 2011 by

Moroccans have grown impervious to their leadership’s dictatorial hubris. They have come to realize that the internet is an intractable shield that has stripped our Machiavellian leaders off of their protective invisibility cloak and rendered their political dogmatism impotent. They … Continue reading →

Posted in Arab World, Democracy, Individual Freedom, Khaled Naceri, MOROCCO | Tagged | 11 Comments

The Hunger Trigger

Posted on February 8, 2011 by

As the din of revolution overwhelmed the Arab streets and thousands of defiant young Arabs, whose visceral anger like scalding lava has been bubbling just below the surface for years and now suddenly bursts into violent demonstrations over their governments’ … Continue reading →

Posted in Arab World, Democracy, Egypt, MOROCCO, POVERTY, Tunisia | Tagged | 4 Comments