Algeria Again? Contemporary affairs

[davidbfpo]

A political-economic overview of Algeria, with some social aspects too and the sub-title:

Algeria is facing succession scrambles and economic crisis. Why are the country’s leaders handing the country over to the IMF rather than use its political and economic talent?

Link:https://www.opendemocracy.net/arab-a...to-uncertainty

[davidbfpo]

It is rare to find an Algerian writing about what happened in Algeria IMHO. This 1995 letter addressed to the jihadists resonates today. The introduction:

In this letter written during Algeria’s “dark decade” of fundamentalist violence - sadly relevant today - Mahfoud Bennoune argued that movements purveying “Islamic states” through terror are ultimately “doomed to failure.”

(At the end and we wish)Your movement, which has mistaken the era, the people and the target, is the negation of reason and democracy, of common sense and of Islamic, humanist and universal values. This is the reason why it can never be the bearer of peace, progress, prosperity, culture, civilization or of understanding and cooperation between peoples. Your movement is doomed to failure.

Link:https://www.opendemocracy.net/5050/mahfoud-bennoune/jihadist-crimes-that-surpass-all-understanding-letter-from-1995-algeria?

[davidbfpo]

A rather pessimistic commentary on Algeria's future after the long and still awaited death of its strongman ruler:http://www.spectator.co.uk/2016/12/h...estroy-the-eu/

[Azor]

A rather pessimistic commentary on Algeria's future after the long and still awaited death of its strongman ruler:http://www.spectator.co.uk/2016/12/h...estroy-the-eu/

So no efforts on a succession plan? The Algerian security establishment is unable to survive his death as Egypt's did Mubarak's fall?

[davidbfpo]

From the think tank FDD a short update; sub-titled:

Religion, economics, and demographics are potentially explosive mix

It ends with:

Dire warnings have been issued about a pending implosion in Algeria and a flood of migrants to Europe. At least one prominent Algerian expert views this prediction as off the mark. Nonetheless, the dangerous mix of radical Islamism, economic instability, and growing youth unrest could be the recipe for a new Arab revolt in North Africa.

Link:https://medium.com/@FDD/will-the-nex...7b4#.ko816okax

[davidbfpo]

There are several posts here on the AQIM attack on Amenas gas plant, but others are in other threads - notably on Mali - so search for Amenas and ye shall learn.