John Bolton Writes: Polisario is not a Terrorist Organization, US should Back Referendum
The Washington Times published an article by Mr. John Bolton, former U.S. National Security Adviser to President Trump and former U.S. Ambassador to the UN, in which he refuted falsehoods propagated by the Moroccan regime, debunking the propaganda disseminated by Morocco’s lobbyists in Washington against the Polisario Front and the Sahrawi people’s struggle for freedom and independence.
John Bolton — considered one of the foremost American experts on the Western Sahara issue, alongside former U.S. Secretary of State James Baker — affirmed that the Polisario Front has never succumbed to extremist ideologies, even during difficult periods. He pointed out that many U.S. senators and officials have visited the Polisario, met with its leadership, and, like the U.S. State Department, can attest to the falsehood of Morocco’s claims.
Bolton, in his article, highlighted several key historical milestones in the conflict, stressing that Moroccan obstruction is the main barrier to resolving the issue. He argued that the United States should return to its original approach of supporting the Sahrawi people’s right to self-determination, as it did starting in 1991, the year the United Nations Security Council adopted the OAU-UN Settlement Plan.
The United States is considered one of the primary guarantors of that plan’s implementation, which explains Washington’s consistent interest in the Western Sahara issue since 1991 and its appointment of senior American diplomats as mediators, such as James Baker, Frank Ruddy, Christopher Ross, and others.
With this article, one of the prominent figures of the U.S. Republican Party — a seasoned diplomat and national security expert — directly refutes the claims made by Rabat and its lobbying networks in Washington. He delivers a strong blow to their efforts to persuade American decision-makers to classify the Polisario Front as a terrorist organization, as claimed by the Moroccan occupation authorities.
