The fantasy of invading Morocco and what lies behind it
A handful of comments propose occupying the Sahara, bombing Rabat or reclaiming Gibraltar. The irony reveals a recurring geopolitical frustration in Spain.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Invading Segarro: the joke that hides a catalogue of grievances
The fact that the proposal to invade Segarro comes in the form of a joke makes it no less revealing. In a sequence of comments, the conversation moves from claiming the Sahara to bombing Rabat, from taking back Gibraltar to evoking a lost empire. The irony does not conceal an undercurrent of frustration that surfaces whenever bilateral relations with Spain's southern neighbour become strained.
The imagined solutions go beyond mere anecdote. Some suggest occupying the Sahara, some propose a referendum under United Nations auspices, and others point out that Gibraltar remains a sticking point. There is even a tour through colonial history, with mentions of Pizarro and Blas de Lezo, to give substance to an imperial fantasy that would stretch as far as Equatorial Guinea.
The imperial urge
Behind the provocation, real issues emerge: the sovereignty of Western Sahara, migratory pressure, trade and fishing. The military fantasy will go no further than that, but the frequency with which it is repeated says more about political incapacity than anything else. In an unexpected twist, some even argue that rather than invading anyone, we should "invade Spain" to remove those who govern it badly.
With an armed forces whose performance in such a conflict is pure speculation, the question remains: why does this kind of humour never run dry? The answer probably lies in accumulated frustration with foreign policy, not in the strength of arms.
The fact that the proposal to invade Segarro comes in the form of a joke makes it no less revealing. In a sequence of comments, the conversation moves from claiming the Sahara to bombing Rabat, from taking back Gibraltar to evoking a lost empire. The irony does not conceal an undercurrent of frustration that surfaces whenever bilateral relations with Spain's southern neighbour become strained.
The imagined solutions go beyond mere anecdote. Some suggest occupying the Sahara, some propose a referendum under United Nations auspices, and others point out that Gibraltar remains a sticking point. There is even a tour through colonial history, with mentions of Pizarro and Blas de Lezo, to give substance to an imperial fantasy that would stretch as far as Equatorial Guinea.
The imperial urge
Behind the provocation, real issues emerge: the sovereignty of Western Sahara, migratory pressure, trade and fishing. The military fantasy will go no further than that, but the frequency with which it is repeated says more about political incapacity than anything else. In an unexpected twist, some even argue that rather than invading anyone, we should "invade Spain" to remove those who govern it badly.
With an armed forces whose performance in such a conflict is pure speculation, the question remains: why does this kind of humour never run dry? The answer probably lies in accumulated frustration with foreign policy, not in the strength of arms.
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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 (14 replies).
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