Spanish Retired General Says Morocco Lacks Strategic Autonomy, Describes It as a “Chess Piece” Manipulated by the U.S. and Israel

ALGIERS – In remarks sharply critical of Morocco’s governing establishment, a retired Spanish general said the Moroccan system lacks genuine strategic autonomy, arguing that the kingdom’s decision-making is shaped by external powers rather than by sovereign national interests.

The retired Spanish military officer portrayed a bleak and realistic picture of the ruling establishment in Rabat, asserting that Morocco “does not control its own affairs” and that its strategic decisions remain subject to external calculations and directives.

He said the Moroccan regime is “not a state with genuine sovereign decision-making,” but rather “a chess piece” moved and manipulated by the United States and Israel in accordance with their geopolitical and security interests in the region. He added that Europe—by virtue of its geographic proximity and shared historical ties—understands “the reality and fragility of the Makhzen” far better than diplomatic circles in Washington.

“A Chess Piece” and Hostage to Strategic Bargains: Complete Dependence on Washington and Tel Aviv

According to the retired general, these remarks expose the strategic trade-offs embraced by the Moroccan authorities since the signing of the trilateral agreement and the comprehensive normalization process with Israel.

Dependence on Foreign Advisers and Technology: He argued that claims portraying Morocco as a regional power collapse when confronted with the Moroccan security and military establishment’s complete reliance on technology and expertise from Washington and Tel Aviv, ranging from surveillance software and drone capabilities to the formulation of diplomatic orientations.

Geopolitical Functionality: He further contended that transforming Moroccan territory into a platform for Israeli and American influence across North and West Africa demonstrates that the Moroccan regime has accepted what he termed the role of a “functional instrument,” used to safeguard the interests of major powers in exchange for political backing and what he described as fragile endorsement of Morocco’s position on Western Sahara.

France, Spain and the Origins of the System: How Was the Makhzen Structured?

The retired Spanish general extended his comments beyond contemporary politics to the historical foundations of Morocco’s present political system.

He argued that Europeans possess the keys to understanding the current system because, in his view, they were responsible for laying its foundations.

The Protectorate and the Consolidation of Power: According to the source, France and Spain shaped the current centralized system during the protectorate period by stripping local and regional forces of authority and concentrating political and security instruments in the hands of the ruling dynasty to safeguard colonial interests and facilitate the administration of the former protectorate.

Transfer of the Rif and Amazigh Lands: He also referred to overlooked historical facts, saying that the colonial authorities transferred “the land of the Rif people” and Amazigh tribes to the Alaouite monarchy and the Makhzen authorities. He argued that these regions had never willingly accepted the authority of the central Makhzen, but instead fought major battles in defense of their freedom and independence before being brought under central control through a colonial-Makhzen alliance.

Political and Moral Exposure: When the Narrative Unravels

The retired Spanish general said these realities undermine the official narrative promoted by the Moroccan authorities domestically and internationally.

Confirming the Isolation of the Ruling System: He argued that Rabat’s shrinking room for maneuver and its transformation into an executor of external agendas explain the recurring crises facing Morocco, ranging from economic dependence and high public debt to humanitarian tragedies at the borders and domestic social tensions.

The Collapse of Claims of Independence: He further maintained that these realities demonstrate that decision-making in Rabat lacks both popular legitimacy and independent national will, arguing that reliance on external actors cannot build a sovereign state or preserve a system that, in his words, derives its strength from the hardship of its citizens and the marginalization of entire regions such as the Rif and the south.

The retired Spanish general concluded by saying that the Makhzen should be viewed “without embellishment”: a functional system created through European colonial arrangements and now directed by American-Israeli calculations.

He argued that attempts to convince the Moroccan public of the existence of “sovereignty and independent decision-making” are no longer persuasive to decision-making centers or international public opinion. He added that history would show that a system whose survival depends on external concessions and the confiscation of its citizens’ rights is, in his view, destined to fall in the face of peoples’ awakening and their aspirations for freedom and dignity.