Western Sahara’s Unlearned Lessons

Western Sahara’s Unlearned Lessons

The situation in the Western Sahara illustrates an unfor-tunate aspect of international relations: When countriespursue their national interests and ignore internationalprinciples, they can create problems that defy resolu-tion. Such problems are often dumped in the lap ofthe United Nations, which frequently lacks the meansto solve them. The struggle between Morocco’s desireto annex the Western Sahara and the Algerian-backedeffort for it to be an independent country has led to animpasse. The United States has tried to have it both waysby making statements designed to suggest the two mutu-ally exclusive options are possible. While this intractabledispute drags on and the possibility of renewed hostili-ties increases, a UN peacekeeping mission, establishedmore than 30 years ago but that accomplishes little tonothing, continues with no end in sight.

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