Why is Morocco Picking a Fight with Spain?

TIme ^ | 8/15/2010 | Andrés Cala

[markomalley]

It was the images of empty food markets on the news, and reporters' overblown warnings of possible shortages, that told Spaniards on Thursday that their nation's five-century dispute with Morocco over the sovereignty of Ceuta and Melilla, two enclaves on the Mediterranean coast, had reignited. In the worst diplomatic spat between the two countries in almost a decade, Moroccan activists were blocking food imports into one of the enclaves and promising more action to come.

The Spanish government and the press were appalled, not so much at the protest, but that it had taken place after King Juan Carlos himself had stepped in to try to calm tensions that had been boiling over for days. For many in Spain, the snub was yet another in a series of signs that the nation doesn't demand the respect it once did — and that its status as a global player is crumbling.

This most recent flare-up in the sovereignty dispute started a month ago, when Morocco's foreign affairs ministry released a statement accusing Spanish authorities of beating five Moroccans who were trying to legally cross Europe's southernmost border through what Rabat calls the "occupied" enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla. Spain said it would investigate the allegations, but unsatisfied with the response, Morocco put out four more accusatory statements, including one calling Spanish police "racist."

[ScaniaBoy]

Oh yes, I remember the UN and the EU gettng very upset about the walls/fences around those enclaves....silly me, I was thinking of that other fence.

Surrounded by parallel twenty-foot fences topped with barbed wire, Ceuta looks more like a jail than a city. "Every day, dozens of Guard ships and patrol boats check the coast, while 621 Guardia Civil’s officers and 548 police officers control the shore," explains the spokesperson of the Delegation of the Spanish Government in Ceuta. On September 29, 2005, the border-fence was assaulted by hundreds of migrants simultaneously, grabbing international media attention. Sprayed by Spanish and Moroccan gunfire, eighteen died and more than fifty were injured. Since then, migrants have been continuing to die in Ceuta, even if there are no international reports about it.

I am thinking of a word.....hmmm...yes,....hypocrisy, that's the one.

[ScaniaBoy]

Ping to my post above this!

[Polybius]

Cueta has been in first Portuguese and then Spanish possession since 1415.

[ModelBreaker]

I didn’t know Spain kept small territories in N. Africa. They’ll be a flashpoint for years to come. The Islamists are still grieving over the Andalusian Tragedy in 1492. So it must gall them that Spain has any territory there.

[glorgau]

So it must gall them that Spain has any territory there.

It galls them that the Spanish have any territory on the Iberian peninsula.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks ScaniaBoy. Seems like Israel should be organizing a blockade-busting armada -- to take humanitarian supplies to the Moroccan jackoffs who are carrying out this siege.

It was the images of empty food markets on the news, and reporters' overblown warnings of possible shortages, that told Spaniards on Thursday that their nation's five-century dispute with Morocco over the sovereignty of Ceuta and Melilla, two enclaves on the Mediterranean coast, had reignited... Moroccan activists were blocking food imports into one of the enclaves and promising more action to come... For many in Spain, the snub was yet another in a series of signs that the nation doesn't demand the respect it once did -- and that its status as a global player is crumbling... a month ago, when Morocco's foreign affairs ministry released a statement accusing Spanish authorities of beating five Moroccans who were trying to legally cross Europe's southernmost border through what Rabat calls the "occupied" enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla... unsatisfied with the response... put out four more accusatory statements, including one calling Spanish police "racist."

[BigBobber]

The Spanish government and the press were appalled, not so much at the protest, but that it had taken place after King Juan Carlos himself had stepped in to try to calm tensions that had been boiling over for days. For many in Spain, the snub was yet another in a series of signs that the nation doesn't demand the respect it once did — and that its status as a global player is crumbling.

Spaniards, buy a clue! You surrendered to the Muslims after they bombed your train. You never fired a shot and gave up the war. The Muslims are coming to demand more from you.

[ScaniaBoy]

Excellent idea. One just hopes that the Morroccan jerks are getting access to free health care in Ceuta. I mean if not this must be a case for the UN Human Rights Commission, mustn’t it?

[yazdankurd]

Santiago y a ellos!

[Publius6961]

Morroco doesn't stand a chance. The history is on Spain's side. Since the 10th century.

It is worth noting that Ceuta and Melilla are not Spanish territories,,/I. like Alaska and Hawaii were to the US at one point, but an integral part of the Spanish state, under the province of Cordoba.

It would be like Russia or Canada claiming Alaska, because it's an adjacent neighbor.

Ceuta and Melilla are centuries old excellent ports. Melilla has an international airport; Ceuta does not, but since 2006 has had daily helicopter service from the Spanish mainland, a ten minute flight.

This crisis involves the Morroccans providing vegetable and other perishable supplies to these cities, but the Morroccans have a lot more to lose by closing the border. Spanish produce and supplies can be shipped in from mainland Spain indefinitely.

Morrocco, like all muslim hellholes could create vibrant modern ports along its enormous coastline. But why invest blood sweat, and wealth when you can simply take it from the already civilized?

[Publius6961]

This time, though, Morocco is putting up a fight. The timing of the food blockade illustrates Rabat's intention to take advantage of a weakened Spain, analysts say. "Vultures swarm when they see weakness, and that is what's happening to Spain," says Vicente Palacios, sub-director of the Spanish Foreign Policy Observatory, a research center of a left-leaning think tank close to the government.

And islam has proven itself a first-class vulture for over 1200 years.
That culture (and yes it is homogeneous in terms of aggressiveness) will never "advance" in terms of civilized behavior. Negotiating with them is ultimately like negotiating with animals.

The umma has a very long and irrational memory...

Encouragingly, this statement acknowledging reality originated from a left-leaning think tank!

[decimon]

“Moroccan jackoffs”

Hey, they have a lot of pull.

[Strategerist]

Morroco doesn't stand a chance. The history is on Spain's side.

And egregious hypocrisy is on their side as well, considering Spain has eseentially the same position on Gibraltar that the Moroccans have on Ceuta and Melilla.

[tet68]

Spain losing grip on Moroccan jackoffs?

[decimon]

Spain losing grip on Moroccan jackoffs?

It's a slippery situation.

[tet68]

Obama backtracks on Moroccan jackoff,
Says has nothing against it on religious grounds,
then says you could go blind.

[tet68]

Obama offers a helping hand...
“Just a Mediterranean reach around as a good
back door neighbor.”

[ModelBreaker]

“It galls them that the Spanish have any territory on the Iberian peninsula.”

May they long be galled.

[packrat35]

I waited to post this exact thing to see if anyone else made the connection.