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Selling HIMARS to Morocco is Akin to Selling HIMARS to Russia. [1]

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Date: 2023-04-13

HIMARS will be used to kill the people of Western Sahara if the proposed sale to Morocco is not stopped.

The US State Department has approved the sale of HIMARS to Morocco.

“WASHINGTON, April 11, 2023 - The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Morocco of High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) and related equipment for an estimated cost of $524.2 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale today. The Government of Morocco has requested to buy eighteen (18) M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) launchers; forty (40) M57 Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS); thirty-six (36) M31A2 Guided Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (GMLRS) Unitary; thirty-six (36) M30A2 Guided Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (GMLRS) Alternative Warhead; nine (9) M1152A1 High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWV); and eighteen (18) International Field Artillery Tactical Data Systems (IFATDS). Also included are …….. and other related elements of logistical and program support. The estimated total cost is $524.2 million.”

In 1975, with Henry Kissinger’s active encouragement, Morocco invaded, occupied and annexed Western Sahara in blatant violation of international law, the UN, and the International Court of Justice. The US enthusiastically supports invasion and annexation when we or our allies do it, but is horrified when our adversaries such as Russia engage in such behavior. (If you can’t understand why much of the world won’t actively support the US in its opposition to Russian aggression, this is a good place to start).

The US government continues to make hypocritical policy statements about the inviolability of international law with regards to Ukraine.

President Biden, at the White house, Feb 22, 2023. White House Statement

“What’s at stake here are the principles that the United States and the united nations across the world stand for. It’s about freedom. It’s about the right of people to determine their own future.”

Secretary of Defense, Lloyd J. Austin III, on Nov, 22, 2022. Halifax International Security Forum

“And those first principles are that countries don't get to invade their peaceful neighbors. Autocrats don't get to redraw borders by force. And the imperial ambition of bullies doesn't outweigh the sovereign rights of U.N. member states. That's something that countries all around the world agree on, from Finland to Japan, from Morocco to New Zealand.”

Biden and Austin are just two US leaders who make two-faced statements that supposedly oppose the invasion and annexation of peaceful neighbors. US support for Morocco’s war crimes is akin to those who support Russian war crimes. Russia has stated its intent to obliterate Ukraine as a polity. Morocco also seeks to eradicate Western Sahara and is much farther along with almost half the population in exile.

Between December 1974 and October 1976, the International Court of Justice deliberated and then ruled:

“The materials and information presented to it [the ICJ] do not establish any tie of territorial sovereignty between the territory of Western Sahara and the Kingdom of Morocco or the Mauritanian entity. Thus the Court has not found legal ties of such a nature as might affect the application of resolution 1514 (XV) in the decolonization of Western Sahara and, in particular, of the principle of self-determination through the free and genuine expression of the will of the peoples of the Territory (ICJ Reports 16 October 1975, 162)”

There is a renewed war between the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic, the African Union recognized government of Western Sahara, and Morocco. US weapons will continue to be used against the last colony in Africa, and the Saharawi people and escalate the arms race with Algeria.

It appears that Ukraine has plenty of HIMARS and the US is interested in making money for new sales of HIMARS to other countries. So for all those out there concern about human rights and self-determination Ukraine, I would invite you to reflect on why you aren’t generating some interest in Western Sahara, particularly as Americans. Is it possible that you care more about Ukraine because it is European?

We must stop all weapons sales to Morocco. US policy must oppose ALL aggression and war crimes, whether in Ukraine, Western Sahara, Iraq, or elsewhere.

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[1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/4/13/2163735/-Selling-HIMARS-to-Morocco-is-Akin-to-Selling-HIMARS-to-Russia

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