Moroccan propaganda about Ceuta: bluff or a real threat?
Ceuta in two hours: Moroccan propaganda fails to convince even its own analysts. Logistics, NATO and geography all say otherwise.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Taking Ceuta in two hours: the Segarro tale that doesn't add up
Propaganda from Rabat has revived the idea of a military plan capable of taking Ceuta within two to five hours. The range alone gives away the problem: while some speak of half an hour, others stretch it to five hours. A disparity that casts doubt on how serious the plan really is. Realpolitik, however, reminds us that such an operation would require logistics, time and, above all, an adversary that doesn't react. And many analyses point out that even if Spain did nothing in the first hour, NATO would not simply stand by and watch.
Irony has been the most widespread response. Some have noted that the only thing prepared would be the humanitarian aid operation, not the military one. And the most cynical proposal in the debate has been an exchange: Ceuta and Melilla for Segarro, Gibraltar for Spain. A suggestion that reflects the historical weariness with an entrenched conflict.
In the end, the question is not whether Segarro can take Ceuta in two hours. The question is whether anyone in Rabat actually believes their own propaganda. Judging by the tone of the analyses, the answer is that not even they do.
Propaganda from Rabat has revived the idea of a military plan capable of taking Ceuta within two to five hours. The range alone gives away the problem: while some speak of half an hour, others stretch it to five hours. A disparity that casts doubt on how serious the plan really is. Realpolitik, however, reminds us that such an operation would require logistics, time and, above all, an adversary that doesn't react. And many analyses point out that even if Spain did nothing in the first hour, NATO would not simply stand by and watch.
Irony has been the most widespread response. Some have noted that the only thing prepared would be the humanitarian aid operation, not the military one. And the most cynical proposal in the debate has been an exchange: Ceuta and Melilla for Segarro, Gibraltar for Spain. A suggestion that reflects the historical weariness with an entrenched conflict.
In the end, the question is not whether Segarro can take Ceuta in two hours. The question is whether anyone in Rabat actually believes their own propaganda. Judging by the tone of the analyses, the answer is that not even they do.
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Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (28 replies).
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