Joe Wilson Calls for the Designation of the Polisario as a Terrorist Organization: A Strong Show of Support for Morocco Amid Regional Instability
In a striking post on his X account (formerly Twitter), Republican Congressman Joe Wilson voiced his support for a strategic analysis by the Hudson Institute, notably praising the work of political analyst Zineb Riboua. He stated firmly: “Grateful for this incisive analysis from @HudsonInstitute @zriboua. Polisario must be designated a Foreign Terrorist Organization! Trump will fix it.”
This declaration strengthens calls for a clear and decisive shift in the U.S. position on the Polisario, an armed separatist group active since 1973 and actively supported by Algeria’s military regime. The report published by the Hudson Institute highlights the threat posed by this militia—not only to the stability of the Maghreb, but also to U.S. security interests in the Sahel-Saharan region.
The Polisario: A Source of Instability and a Proxy for Hostile Powers
The Hudson Institute analysis underscores that the Polisario is no longer just a separatist movement: it functions as a destabilizing militia involved in arms trafficking, ideological indoctrination, and collaboration with powers hostile to the United States—namely Iran, Russia, and China. The document also states that the organization regularly violates the 1991 UN-backed ceasefire, diverts humanitarian aid for military purposes, and collaborates with groups designated as terrorist organizations, such as Hezbollah and the PKK.
Furthermore, the report reveals that Iran has provided drones to the Polisario through the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), with logistical support from Algeria. These weapons are used to fuel jihadist insurgencies that threaten U.S. forces and their allies across the Sahel.
A Strategic Shift Initiated by Trump
It is worth recalling that in 2020, President Donald Trump recognized Morocco’s sovereignty over the Sahara, breaking with the ambiguous neutrality of previous administrations. This decision was hailed as a bold strategic realignment, helping to consolidate U.S. alliances in the region, particularly with Morocco—a major non-NATO ally of the United States.
Today, Joe Wilson is calling for the next step: officially designating the Polisario as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO), in accordance with U.S. law (Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act). Such a designation, according to the analysis, would allow for the freezing of the Polisario’s assets, dismantling its supply networks, and weakening the influence of the Iran-Russia-China axis in North Africa.
Growing Recognition of the Threat in Washington
Joe Wilson is not alone in this stance. The analysis also cites U.S. Senator Marco Rubio, who has supported Morocco’s autonomy plan as “the only credible path to peace.” The increasing recognition of the Polisario’s harmful role and the strategic duplicity of the Algerian regime marks a significant turning point in the U.S. approach to the Sahara issue.
As the Sahel region descends into deeper security chaos—fueled by the rise of Wagner mercenaries, the proliferation of Iranian arms, and Chinese strategic activism—Morocco emerges as the last reliable bulwark of regional order. Reinforcing this bulwark necessarily involves weakening the Polisario and isolating its supporters.
Abderrazzak Boussaid / Le7tv
