Three Unending Wars

Aside from the war in Lebanon, there are three others still going on in which the U.S. Administration has at least a marginal interest. Following is a refresher and an update on what has been happening on those fronts:

Western Sahara

This is a war between Morocco and guerrillas who for eight years have been fighting to establish an independent "Saharan Democratic Republic" on territory vacated by Spain after nearly a century of Spanish colonial rule.

Morocco regards the barren territory as its own, and has managed to gain military control of that part of it which contains most of the population as well as the phosphate deposits which are the sole source of the territory's wealth. This has been accomplished by the construction of a fortified wall of sand and rock to enclose the area—called by Moroccans the "useful triangle." The wall is now more than 400 miles long, and is still being extended.

Although frustrated, the guerrillas—known as the "Polisario," which is an acronym for the Popular Front for the Liberation of Saguia al Hamra and Rio de Oro—have by no means given up. As recently as late December, a Polisario armored column of considerable size attacked Moroccan army units in an attempt to stop the extension of the wall. According to the Moroccans, the column was defeated after a fierce, three-day battle.

The Polisario still receives political and logistical support from Algeria—although a previous supplier, Libya, has sharply reduced its support during the past year. Furthermore, the independent "Saharan Democratic Republic" for which it is fighting has been recognized by about 100 nations, including a majority of African countries, and has been admitted to the Organization of African Unity (OAU). The OAU is calling for direct negotiations between Morocco and the Polisario, which the Polisario favors but which Morocco refuses to go along with. The OAU has also called for a UN-sponsored referendum, which Morocco accepts in principle. But the initiative has been bogged down because of disagreement over the size of the territory's population—with the Polisario's estimate being ten times greater than that of the Moroccan government.

The Reagan Administration is officially neutral on the question of the Western Sahara, and officials would like to see the Moroccans negotiate a compromise solution. But in practice, the U.S. is supporting Morocco's ability to hold on to the territory. It is U.S. radar equipment which has helped make the desert wall particularly effective against guerrilla infiltration. Deliveries of some U.S. military equipment has been expedited for use by the Moroccan troops fighting in the desert. And there is closer cooperation than ever between U.S. and Moroccan military and intelligence officials.