Missile Defence System Sparks US-Russia Tensions in Middle East

UK £2 Issue 196, Year 4 EU €2.50 March 10, 2019 www.thearabweekly.com Dealing Women Hala Shah’s with ISIS in the world of dance, Arab world love and faith Pages 7, 17 Pages 6, 12-13 Page 23 Army could be arbiter in Algeria crisis as protests gain support ► Algeria experts see the military’s backing as crucial for any potential successor to Bouteflika. Lamine Ghanmi El Djeich’s editorial. “Our people who are instilled with great patriot- ic consciousness are fully aware of Tunis the current threats and challenges.” The magazine seemed to reflect a mid signs of disaffection by gradual shift in the military’s posi- regime loyalists and a shift tion away from unconditional loy- in the army’s position, tens alty to Bouteflika. A of thousands of protesters The editorial praised Algerians took to the streets March 8 across more than the country’s leadership: Algeria to express opposition to Al- “Our people, who fought and over- gerian President Abdelaziz Boutef- came a colonisation of 130 years lika’s bid for a fifth term in office. in a decisive independence war The peaceful protests were the and foiled the terrorist project that third weekly mass demonstrations aimed to destroy the pillars of the since February 22. Algerian soci- state, merit to bear the message of ologist Fatma Oussedik estimated their forefathers and shoulder the Challenging the US. A Russian S-400 Triumph defence missile system parades through Red Square in the number of Algerians who have responsibility to carry and preserve Moscow. (AFP) taken part in the demonstrations at their trust to achieve the national 3 million. project.” In Algiers, protesters converged after Friday prayers in a dense wave stretching nearly 1km while by- The Constitutional Missile defence system standers threw flowers and confetti Council has until March from flag-draped balconies. 18 to decide on Since Bouteflika, who is in Swit- Bouteflika’s candidacy. zerland for medical tests, had his sparks US-Russia candidacy for re-election officially Algerian military Chief of Staff submitted March 3, no fewer than General Ahmed Gaid Salah assured 15 opposition parties and four un- the public on March 5 that the army ions expressed support for the pro- was committed to the Algerian peo- tensions in Middle East test movement. More significant, ple and its main objective is that however, were the increasing signs “security is assured and stability is Mohammed Alkhereiji Palladino said. sion” that did not concern any other showing that support for the pro- deeply entrenched.” and Kelly Kennedy US Army General Curtis Scaparrot- country. tests was spreading to regime loy- Gaid Salah, whom many refer ti, head of US European Command, “There is a discussion over the alist circles. ahead of the April 18 to as “the arbiter of last resort,” told the US Senate Armed Services procurement of various military election. had previously warned Algerians London and Washington Committee that he was concerned equipment from Russia,” he said, Several members of parliament against taking part in protests and about offering one of America’s most adding that no deal has been final- from the ruling National Liberation defended Bouteflika’s record. lans by Turkey, a NATO mem- advanced systems to a country will- ised over the S-400. Front have resigned and the highly Algeria experts see the military’s ber, and Qatar, home of the ing to use Russian equipment, im- French newspaper Le Monde re- respected National Organisation of backing as crucial for any potential largest US military facility in plying that the Russians could gain ported last June that Saudi Arabia Mujahideen, an umbrella organisa- successor to Bouteflika. P the Middle East, to buy a Rus- access to the planes. had threatened to attack the Russian tion for war of independence vet- Michael Ayari, an analyst for the sian missile defence system pose a US Representative Matt Gaetz, a S-400 defence system if deployed by erans, came out in support of the International Crisis Group, told new challenge by Moscow to US po- Florida Republican, agreed, posting Qatar. protests. “It is the duty of Algerian Agence France-Presse: “The army sitions and influence in the region. on social media: “We have spent bil- “The kingdom would be ready to society in all its segments to take to could try to steer a possible transi- Ankara and Doha are in talks with lions on developing the F-35. If we take all necessary measures to elimi- the streets,” it said. tion process.” He mentioned retired the Russian government to buy don’t stop Turkey from getting the nate this defence system, including There was a notable change in General Ali Ghediri, who is a candi- S-400 missile defence batteries rath- F-35, we might as well hand the blue- military action,” Le Monde quoted the official media’s reporting on date for president, as a possible con- er than the US Patriot system. prints to the Russians.” Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz the protests with the official Al- sensus choice. The situation has the potential to US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Al Saud as saying a letter to French geria Press Service admitting that Observers said the army would sour relations between the United State Matthew Palmer and James President Emmanuel Macron. demonstrators were clamouring likely avoid giving the impression States and Turkey and adds a mili- Jeffrey, Washington’s Syria envoy, for “regime change” and not just of pulling the strings of the succes- tary dimension to tensions between travelled to Ankara for talks but no demanding “political change,” as it sion crisis. “It (the army) will not Gulf Cooperation Council countries, details were available. The situation has the previously stated. interfere for now because it is up to experts said. Russia benefits from any political potential to sour relations However, the strongest sign of the the civilian ruling elite to clean the In a region riddled with underly- disputes between Turkey and US al- between the United States changing mood within the regime’s mess. This is not the military’s busi- ing tensions, Russia has been aggres- lies because it can use them to un- and Turkey and adds a key power bases came from the ness but it will not accept a remake dermine trust and unity, Scaparrotti sively promoting the S-400 in the military dimension to powerful military. of the 1990s scenario,” a retired gen- Middle East. warned previously. eral, speaking on condition of ano- The Trump administration Turkish President Recep Tayyip tensions between Gulf nymity, told Reuters. warned countries against acquiring Erdogan said his country would not Cooperation Council There are increasing signs Figures close to Bouteflika sug- the S-400 defence system but that go back on the Russian missile pro- countries. that support for the gested that the Algerian Constitu- has not been a deterrent. Moscow ject. “The S-400 is over for us,” Er- protests is spreading to tional Council could help defuse has potential S-400 deals with Saudi dogan said in a report by Turkey’s US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo regime loyalist circles. the crisis by nullifying Bouteflika’s Arabia, India and Turkey state-run Anadolu news agency. “We signed a memorandum of under- candidacy on health or procedural Ankara is in advanced stages of have an agreement with Russia now, standing with Qatar earlier this year “The achievements gained by grounds. talks about the S-400. Washington we will start joint production. Maybe to expand Al Udeid Airbase, south our armed forces in several fields “The council has to tell the full wants Turkey to buy the Patriot sys- we will get into a S-500 [system] af- of Doha. It hosts the forward head- and their unlimited and unqualified truth to the public about the medi- tem instead, arguing that the Rus- ter the S-400.” quarters of the US military’s Central standing with their nation confirm cal certificate about the health of sian system would not be compat- Experts said the S-400 row could Command and some 10,000 Ameri- the solid unity between the people President Bouteflika,” said Farouk ible with NATO weaponry and might develop into a major crisis between can troops. and their armed forces,” said an Ksantini, a lawyer with ties to the give Russia a chance to spy on West- the United States and Turkey. Regionally, Qatar has been isolat- editorial of El Djeich (“the Army”), president. ern military technology, such as the Aykan Erdemir, a senior fellow at ed since June 2017, when the United a publication of the military. The Algerian Bar Association new F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. the Foundation for Defense of De- Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain In a major departure from its tra- called on the council to reject The United States, where both mocracies, a Washington think-tank, and Egypt severed diplomatic, trans- ditional positions, the magazine’s Bouteflika’s candidacy, citing his parties in the US Congress have ex- said: “I disagree with the optimists port and trade ties with the small editorial did not mention Boutef- physical incapacity and his failure pressed concern about Turkey’s who see the current noise as simply a Gulf Arab state over accusations of lika or his re-election bid nor did to submit his candidacy documen- S-400 deal, has put delivery of F-35s bargaining ploy of the Turkish presi- support for Islamist extremists and it echo concern expressed by the tation personally (and not through a to Ankara on hold. dent. Erdogan is beyond the point of its ties to Iran.

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