Think Forward.

Trump, le Maroc et la fin du mythe Polisario 2213

Aziz Daouda, 8 mon.
Depuis quelques semaines à peine, la question du Sahara occidental enregistre une série de rebondissements d’une intensité rare, marquant une véritable accélération dans un dossier longtemps figé par les pesanteurs diplomatiques, les inerties stratégiques et les calculs occultes. L’administration Trump, chef de file d’un courant international lassé de ce conflit d’un autre temps, a clairement affiché sa volonté de passer à une nouvelle ère, rompant avec des décennies d’attentisme, alimenté par la Guerre froide et ses prolongements idéologiques. Pour Washington, il n’est plus question de tolérer les jeux de déstabilisation d’un régime militaire algérien en perte de repères, qui instrumentalise ce conflit pour masquer ses propres échecs internes, politiques, économiques et sociaux et freine ainsi les ambitions de développement, les bonnes relations régionales dans la complémentarité et le respect d’un voisin marocain qu’il jalouse aussi pour ses réussites et ses alliances solides avec l’Occident. L’élection de Donald Trump a rebattu les cartes. Exit les postures prudentes et les équilibres fragiles entre belligérants : l’heure est à l’action, à la transparence des alliances, et à la recherche de solutions concrètes. Dans cette logique, le soutien de l’administration Trump à la proposition marocaine d’autonomie est sans équivoque. L’initiative marocaine est désormais qualifiée par la Maison-Blanche comme la seule base « juste et durable » pour une résolution du conflit. Lors d’une rencontre riche en symbolique entre le ministre marocain des Affaires étrangères, Nasser Bourita, et le sénateur Marco Rubio, ce dernier a réaffirmé l’engagement des États-Unis envers une solution fondée exclusivement sur l’offre marocaine. Les signaux sont clairs : pour Washington, la fin de la récréation a sonné. Le Maroc est solide et fiable. Il est dans son droit. C’est le meilleur ami et partenaire dans la région. C’est aussi le premier pays à avoir reconnu les américains et protégé leur flotte dans les moments difficiles de ce pays naissant alors. Ce réalignement américain reconfirmé s’accompagne de propositions audacieuses. Plusieurs membres influents du Congrès envisagent désormais de désigner officiellement le Front Polisario comme organisation terroriste. Et ils ont sur quoi reposer leur argumentaire, notamment : les attaques contre des civils à Smara et du côté de El Mahbas, la rupture unilatérale du cessez-le-feu de 1991, mais aussi les liens supposés avec des puissances hostiles comme l’Iran ou la Russie, sans omettre la présence avérée de combattants du Polisario en Syrie d’ailleurs toujours détenus là-bas. Le 11 avril, faut-il le rappeler le représentant républicain Joe Wilson a annoncé son intention de déposer un projet de loi en ce sens. Selon lui, le Front Polisario constitue une porte d’entrée pour ce qu’il appelle « l’Axe de l’agression » en Afrique, reliant l’organisation séparatiste à des ambitions géopolitiques iraniennes et russes sur le continent et c’est menaçant pour la sécurité des USA. Il a entre les mains aujourd’hui l’étude étayée de l’Hudson Institute qui conclue aux relations étroites du Polisario avec le Hezboallah et même avec le PKK. Il serait actif dans des trafics d’armes avec les groupes terroristes au Sahel, compromis dans les détournements d’aides humanitaires etc. Il ne faut pas penser qu’il n’ait que des américains qui seraient dans cette logique. En fin de semaine dernière par exemple, Liam Fox ancien secrétaire d’état britannique à la défense qualifiait à son tour le Polisario d’organisation terroriste. L’idée est en train de faire sérieusement son chemin. La récente Cette dynamique met l’Algérie face à ses responsabilités : le Polisario est hébergé, soutenu et financé, sur son territoire. Qualifier le Polisario d’organisation terroriste c’est aussi l’éjecter de l’équation. Sa marginalisation diplomatique isolerait encore davantage Alger, désormais confondu être la partie intégrante du conflit, et non plus la simple actrice tierce qu’elle prétend être. Le masque est définitivement tombé. Autre pays dans la tourmente : l’Afrique du Sud. Soutien traditionnel du Polisario, Pretoria commence à ressentir les effets de cette bascule stratégique. La presse locale s’interroge, des voix au sein de l’ANC appellent à une réévaluation de la politique étrangère du pays. Plusieurs ONG sont connues pour mener là encore des activités de collecte de fonds pour le Polisario, mais des think tanks comme l’Institut Hudson, encore lui, estiment qu’une désignation terroriste les contraindrait à cesser ces opérations sous peine de sanctions internationales. Les conséquences pourraient être lourdes pour les institutions sud-africaines. Déjà sous la surveillance du GAFI (Groupe d’action financière), le pays ne peut se permettre d’être soupçonné de complicité avec une entité classée terroriste. Les banques, en particulier, redoutent les contrôles et pourraient exiger du gouvernement un changement de cap. Le climat entre Washington et Pretoria, déjà froid depuis l’arrivée de Trump au pouvoir, risque ainsi de se détériorer davantage. L’administration américaine ne cache pas sa défiance envers le gouvernement sud-africain. Une éventuelle désignation du Polisario comme groupe terroriste serait alors un point de rupture dans une relation déjà fragilisée, avec à la clé des sanctions, des pressions économiques et une surveillance diplomatique renforcée. Le dossier du Sahara occidental entre dans une nouvelle phase. La logique de statu quo ne tient plus face aux réalignements internationaux, et les manœuvres dilatoires perdent en efficacité. Le monde ne veut plus de conflits congelés, et les puissances aspirent à un continent africain stable, fiable, et ouvert aux échanges. Dans cette dynamique, le Maroc semble avoir gagné la bataille de la clarté. Reste à voir si ses adversaires sauront lire les nouveaux équilibres. C’est sans doute ce qui explique et motive l’optimisme du représentant marocain à l’ONU, Omar Hilale… Il n’a pas hésité à insinuer en des termes à peine voilés que le dossier serait annoncé clos en concomitance avec les célébrations par le peuple marocain du cinquantième anniversaire de la Marche Verte, le 6 novembre prochain…
Aziz Daouda Aziz Daouda

Aziz Daouda

Directeur Technique et du Développement de la Confédération Africaine d'Athlétisme. Passionné du Maroc, passionné d'Afrique. Concerné par ce qui se passe, formulant mon point de vue quand j'en ai un. Humaniste, j'essaye de l'être, humain je veux l'être. Mon histoire est intimement liée à l'athlétisme marocain et mondial. J'ai eu le privilège de participer à la gloire de mon pays .


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GRIMMS’ FAIRY TALES - THE GOLDEN BIRD [1/2] 3909

Bluwr X Commons: Brothers Grimm, 2 y.
- Short Stories -
4.8 min read.
A certain king had a beautiful garden, and in the garden stood a tree which bore golden apples. These apples were always counted, and about the time when they began to grow ripe it was found that every night one of them was gone. The king became very angry at this, and ordered the gardener to keep watch all night under the tree. The gardener set his eldest son to watch; but about twelve o’clock he fell asleep, and in the morning another of the apples was missing. Then the second son was ordered to watch; and at midnight he too fell asleep, and in the morning another apple was gone. Then the third son offered to keep watch; but the gardener at first would not let him, for fear some harm should come to him: however, at last he consented, and the young man laid himself under the tree to watch. As the clock struck twelve he heard a rustling noise in the air, and a bird came flying that was of pure gold; and as it was snapping at one of the apples with its beak, the gardener’s son jumped up and shot an arrow at it. But the arrow did the bird no harm; only it dropped a golden feather from its tail, and then flew away. The golden feather was brought to the king in the morning, and all the council was called together. Everyone agreed that it was worth more than all the wealth of the kingdom: but the king said, ‘One feather is of no use to me, I must have the whole bird.’ Then the gardener’s eldest son set out and thought to find the golden bird very easily; and when he had gone but a little way, he came to a wood, and by the side of the wood he saw a fox sitting; so he took his bow and made ready to shoot at it. Then the fox said, ‘Do not shoot me, for I will give you good counsel; I know what your business is, and that you want to find the golden bird. You will reach a village in the evening; and when you get there, you will see two inns opposite to each other, one of which is very pleasant and beautiful to look at: go not in there, but rest for the night in the other, though it may appear to you to be very poor and mean.’ But the son thought to himself, ‘What can such a beast as this know about the matter?’ So he shot his arrow at the fox; but he missed it, and it set up its tail above its back and ran into the wood. Then he went his way, and in the evening came to the village where the two inns were; and in one of these were people singing, and dancing, and feasting; but the other looked very dirty, and poor. ‘I should be very silly,’ said he, ‘if I went to that shabby house, and left this charming place’; so he went into the smart house, and ate and drank at his ease, and forgot the bird, and his country too. Time passed on; and as the eldest son did not come back, and no tidings were heard of him, the second son set out, and the same thing happened to him. He met the fox, who gave him the good advice: but when he came to the two inns, his eldest brother was standing at the window where the merrymaking was, and called to him to come in; and he could not withstand the temptation, but went in, and forgot the golden bird and his country in the same manner. Time passed on again, and the youngest son too wished to set out into the wide world to seek for the golden bird; but his father would not listen to it for a long while, for he was very fond of his son, and was afraid that some ill luck might happen to him also, and prevent his coming back. However, at last it was agreed he should go, for he would not rest at home; and as he came to the wood, he met the fox, and heard the same good counsel. But he was thankful to the fox, and did not attempt his life as his brothers had done; so the fox said, ‘Sit upon my tail, and you will travel faster.’ So he sat down, and the fox began to run, and away they went over stock and stone so quick that their hair whistled in the wind. When they came to the village, the son followed the fox’s counsel, and without looking about him went to the shabby inn and rested there all night at his ease. In the morning came the fox again and met him as he was beginning his journey, and said, ‘Go straight forward, till you come to a castle, before which lie a whole troop of soldiers fast asleep and snoring: take no notice of them, but go into the castle and pass on and on till you come to a room, where the golden bird sits in a wooden cage; close by it stands a beautiful golden cage; but do not try to take the bird out of the shabby cage and put it into the handsome one, otherwise you will repent it.’ Then the fox stretched out his tail again, and the young man sat himself down, and away they went over stock and stone till their hair whistled in the wind. Before the castle gate all was as the fox had said: so the son went in and found the chamber where the golden bird hung in a wooden cage, and below stood the golden cage, and the three golden apples that had been lost were lying close by it. Then thought he to himself, ‘It will be a very droll thing to bring away such a fine bird in this shabby cage’; so he opened the door and took hold of it and put it into the golden cage. But the bird set up such a loud scream that all the soldiers awoke, and they took him prisoner and carried him before the king. The next morning the court sat to judge him; and when all was heard, it sentenced him to die, unless he should bring the king the golden horse which could run as swiftly as the wind; and if he did this, he was to have the golden bird given him for his own. So he set out once more on his journey, sighing, and in great despair, when on a sudden his friend the fox met him, and said, ‘You see now what has happened on account of your not listening to my counsel. I will still, however, tell you how to find the golden horse, if you will do as I bid you. You must go straight on till you come to the castle where the horse stands in his stall: by his side will lie the groom fast asleep and snoring: take away the horse quietly, but be sure to put the old leathern saddle upon him, and not the golden one that is close by it.’ Then the son sat down on the fox’s tail, and away they went over stock and stone till their hair whistled in the wind. All went right, and the groom lay snoring with his hand upon the golden saddle. But when the son looked at the horse, he thought it a great pity to put the leathern saddle upon it. ‘I will give him the good one,’ said he; ‘I am sure he deserves it.’ As he took up the golden saddle the groom awoke and cried out so loud, that all the guards ran in and took him prisoner, and in the morning he was again brought before the court to be judged, and was sentenced to die. But it was agreed, that, if he could bring thither the beautiful princess, he should live, and have the bird and the horse given him for his own.

THE ENCHIRIDION - I 3642

Bluwr X Commons: Epictetus, 2 y.
-
1.1 min read.
There are things which are within our power, and there are things which are beyond our power. Within our power are opinion, aim, desire, aversion, and, in one word, whatever affairs are our own. Beyond our power are body, property, reputation, office, and, in one word, whatever are not properly our own affairs. Now the things within our power are by nature free, unrestricted, unhindered; but those beyond our power are weak, dependent, restricted, alien. Remember, then, that if you attribute freedom to things by nature dependent and take what belongs to others for your own, you will be hindered, you will lament, you will be disturbed, you will find fault both with gods and men. But if you take for your own only that which is your own and view what belongs to others just as it really is, then no one will ever compel you, no one will restrict you; you will find fault with no one, you will accuse no one, you will do nothing against your will; no one will hurt you, you will not have an enemy, nor will you suffer any harm. Aiming, therefore, at such great things, remember that you must not allow yourself any inclination, however slight, toward the attainment of the others; but that you must entirely quit some of them, and for the present postpone the rest. But if you would have these, and possess power and wealth likewise, you may miss the latter in seeking the former; and you will certainly fail of that by which alone happiness and freedom are procured. Seek at once, therefore, to be able to say to every unpleasing semblance, “You are but a semblance and by no means the real thing.” And then examine it by those rules which you have; and first and chiefly by this: whether it concerns the things which are within our own power or those which are not; and if it concerns anything beyond our power, be prepared to say that it is nothing to you.

THE ADVENTURES OF TOM SAWYER - PREFACE 3809

Bluwr X Commons: Mark Twain, 2 y.
- Short Stories -
0.6 min read.
Most of the adventures recorded in this book really occurred; one or two were experiences of my own, the rest those of boys who were schoolmates of mine. Huck Finn is drawn from life; Tom Sawyer also, but not from an individual—he is a combination of the characteristics of three boys whom I knew, and therefore belongs to the composite order of architecture. The odd superstitions touched upon were all prevalent among children and slaves in the West at the period of this story—that is to say, thirty or forty years ago. Although my book is intended mainly for the entertainment of boys and girls, I hope it will not be shunned by men and women on that account, for part of my plan has been to try to pleasantly remind adults of what they once were themselves, and of how they felt and thought and talked, and what queer enterprises they sometimes engaged in. THE AUTHOR. HARTFORD, 1876.

THE MEDITATIONS - Book I.[1/3] 3922

Bluwr X Commons: Marcus Aurelius, 2 y.
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3.7 min read.
1. I learned from my grandfather, Verus, to use good manners, and to put restraint on anger. 2. In the famous memory of my father I had a pattern of modesty and manliness. 3. Of my mother I learned to be pious and generous; to keep myself not only from evil deeds, but even from evil thoughts; and to live with a simplicity which is far from customary among the rich. 4. I owe it to my great-grandfather that I did not attend public lectures and discussions, but had good and able teachers at home; and I owe him also the knowledge that for things of this nature a man should count no expense too great. 5. My tutor taught me not to favour either green or blue at the chariot races, nor, in the contests of gladiators, to be a supporter either of light or heavy armed. He taught me also to endure labour; not to need many things; to serve myself without troubling others; not to intermeddle in the affairs of others, and not easily to listen to slanders against them. 6. Of Diognetus I had the lesson not to busy myself about vain things; not to credit the great professions of such as pretend to work wonders, or of sorcerers about their charms, and their expelling of Demons and the like; not to keep quails (for fighting or divination), nor to run after such things; to suffer freedom of speech in others, and to apply myself heartily to philosophy. Him also I must thank for my hearing first Bacchius, then Tandasis and Marcianus; that I wrote dialogues in my youth, and took a liking to the philosopher’s pallet and skins, and to the other things which, by the Grecian discipline, belong to that profession. 7. To Rusticus I owe my first apprehensions that my nature needed reform and cure; and that I did not fall into the ambition of the common Sophists, either by composing speculative writings or by declaiming harangues of exhortation in public; further, that I never strove to be admired by ostentation of great patience in an ascetic life, or by display of activity and application; that I gave over the study of rhetoric, poetry, and the graces of language; and that I did not pace my house in my senatorial robes, or practise any similar affectation. I observed also the simplicity of style in his letters, particularly in that which he wrote to my mother from Sinuessa. I learned from him to be easily appeased, and to be readily reconciled with those who had displeased me or given cause of offence, so soon as they inclined to make their peace; to read with care; not to rest satisfied with a slight and superficial knowledge; nor quickly to assent to great talkers. I have him to thank that I met with the discourses of Epictetus, which he furnished me from his own library. 8. From Apollonius I learned true liberty, and tenacity of purpose; to regard nothing else, even in the smallest degree, but reason always; and always to remain unaltered in the agonies of pain, in the losses of children, or in long diseases. He afforded me a living example of how the same man can, upon occasion, be most yielding and most inflexible. He was patient in exposition; and, as might well be seen, esteemed his fine skill and ability in teaching others the principles of philosophy as the least of his endowments. It was from him that I learned how to receive from friends what are thought favours without seeming humbled by the giver or insensible to the gift. 9. Sextus was my pattern of a benign temper, and his family the model of a household governed by true paternal affection, and a steadfast purpose of living according to nature. Here I could learn to be grave without affectation, to observe sagaciously the several dispositions and inclinations of my friends, to tolerate the ignorant and those who follow current opinions without examination. His conversation showed how a man may accommodate himself to all men and to all companies; for though companionship with him was sweeter and more pleasing than any sort of flattery, yet he was at the same time highly respected and reverenced. No man was ever more happy than he in comprehending, finding out, and arranging in exact order the great maxims necessary for the conduct of life. His example taught me to suppress even the least appearance of anger or any other passion; but still, with all this perfect tranquillity, to possess the tenderest and most affectionate heart; to be apt to approve others yet without noise; to have much learning and little ostentation. 10. I learned from Alexander the Grammarian to avoid censuring others, to refrain from flouting them for a barbarism, solecism, or any false pronunciation. Rather was I dexterously to pronounce the words rightly in my answer, confining approval or objection to the matter itself, and avoiding discussion of the expression, or to use some other form of courteous suggestion. 11. Fronto made me sensible how much of envy, deceit and hypocrisy surrounds princes; and that generally those whom we account nobly born have somehow less natural affection. 12. I learned from Alexander the Platonist not often nor without great necessity to say, or write to any man in a letter, that I am not at leisure; nor thus, under pretext of urgent affairs, to make a practice of excusing myself from the duties which, according to our various ties, we owe to those with whom we live. 13. Of Catulus I learned not to condemn any friend’s expostulation even though it were unjust, but to try to recall him to his former disposition; to stint no praise in speaking of my masters, as is recounted of Domitius and Athenodorus; and to love my children with true affection. 14. Of Severus, my brother, I learned to love my kinsmen, to love truth, to love justice. Through him I came to know Thrasea, Helvidius, Cato, Dion, and Brutus. He gave me my first conception of a Commonwealth founded upon equitable laws and administered with equality of right; and of a Monarchy whose chief concern is the freedom of its subjects. Of him I learned likewise a constant and harmonious devotion to Philosophy; to be ready to do good, to be generous with all my heart. He taught me to be of good hope and trustful of the affection of my friends. I observed in him candour in declaring what he condemned in the conduct of others; and so frank and open was his behaviour, that his friends might easily see without the trouble of conjecture what he liked or disliked.