John Bolton Exposes Morocco’s Obstruction in Western Sahara: No Jihadis, No Iranians, Just a People Denied Their Right

John Bolton Exposes Morocco’s Obstruction in Western Sahara: No Jihadis, No Iranians, Just a People Denied Their Right

✍️ BY: Dr. Hana Saada

From one of America’s most hawkish national security officials comes a piercing critique of Morocco’s manipulation, demographic engineering, and propaganda in the Western Sahara conflict—reviving the international call for a long-delayed self-determination referendum.

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Algiers, Algeria | June 29th, 2025 —  In a rare but unequivocal intervention, John Bolton, former U.S. National Security Advisor and one of the leading hawks of American foreign policy, has reignited global attention on the Western Sahara conflict by squarely accusing Morocco of sabotaging the long-promised referendum on self-determination and spreading deliberate misinformation to maintain its illegal grip over the territory.

In an interview with Otralectura.com, translated and highlighted by Algeria Now, Bolton dissected decades of political maneuvering by Rabat, calling out what he described as “a systematic and calculated effort” to obstruct international consensus, manipulate demographics, and exploit the region’s resources without legitimacy.

“The tragedy of Western Sahara,” Bolton said, “is that ordinary people remain trapped in Tindouf camps not because of diplomatic stalemates or terrorist threats, but because the Moroccan regime outright refuses to grant them their right to choose their own destiny.”

The Forgotten Opportunity: Post-Gulf War Diplomacy

Bolton began his exposé by revisiting the early 1990s, when momentum for resolving the Western Sahara issue seemed within reach. After the Gulf War and the expulsion of Saddam Hussein from Kuwait, a global political climate supportive of international law and decolonization provided a unique window to resolve the Western Sahara dispute. Morocco, under pressure, had initially agreed to a referendum based on the 1975 Spanish census—a limited and clear voter base that could have facilitated a smooth electoral process.

But according to Bolton, Morocco quickly backtracked, launching a calculated campaign of delay, manipulation, and obstruction that continues to this day.

“The creation of MINURSO was a direct result of that diplomatic push,” he stated, “but Morocco never had any intention of cooperating. They agreed to the idea of a referendum just long enough to stall the international community.”

From Clinton to Baker: How the File Was Buried

Bolton went on to criticize the Clinton administration, which he asserts allowed U.S. diplomatic momentum on Western Sahara to falter. It wasn’t until UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan appointed James Baker in the late 1990s that the issue was revived—only to be stonewalled again by Moroccan rejection of the Houston Agreements, which could have laid the groundwork for a peaceful solution.

Referendum is the Bedrock of Sovereignty

Central to Bolton’s argument is his unwavering belief in self-determination. Sovereignty, he insists, must derive from the people, not from political fiat or military occupation. He accuses Morocco of deliberately sabotaging the referendum out of fear of an unfavorable outcome, effectively prioritizing regime security over international law.

“The Moroccans knew early on that if the Sahrawis voted freely, the outcome would not favor Rabat. So they undermined the process from the inside.”

The Terrorism Lie: Manufactured Propaganda

Perhaps Bolton’s most damning remarks came in his rejection of Rabat’s attempts to link the Polisario Front to terrorism, Iran, or Islamic extremism. These claims, he insisted, are baseless political fabrications used to curry favor with Western powers and deflect scrutiny.

“I’ve visited Tindouf camps 30 years ago. I saw no jihadists, no Marxists, no Iranians. These are tired tropes pushed by Moroccan lobbyists. There is no credible evidence whatsoever.”

Demographic Engineering and Resource Plunder

Bolton also denounced Morocco’s decades-long demographic manipulation, accusing the kingdom of strategically relocating Moroccan settlers into Western Sahara in violation of international norms to dilute the local population and skew any future referendum.

He declared the 1975 Spanish census as the only legitimate voter registry, condemning Morocco’s efforts as “a fraudulent policy of forced assimilation.”

Further, he slammed illegal resource exploitation—particularly phosphates and fisheries—as acts of economic aggression, carried out without the consent of the Sahrawi people and in clear violation of international law.

Lobbyists, Maps, and Imperial Ambitions

Bolton also touched on Morocco’s lobbying machine in Washington and Brussels, suggesting that billions have been spent shaping public opinion and silencing critics.

He recounted an incident from 1997, where during a visit to the royal palace, he saw a map depicting Moroccan territorial claims that included parts of Algeria and Mauritania—an irrefutable sign, he says, of the monarchy’s expansionist ambitions cloaked in faux patriotism.

America’s Apathy and the Cost of Silence

Finally, Bolton lamented the lack of institutional understanding in Washington, where few lawmakers fully grasp the stakes of the Western Sahara conflict. He singled out Senator James Inhofe as one of the few consistent defenders of Sahrawi rights.

He closed with a sobering indictment:

“This is not a legal puzzle. This is a clear case of a people being denied their voice because Morocco refuses to let go of its colonial legacy.”

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