""In order to scale back military commitments, strengthen indigenous military
capabilities, and benefit from the business opportunities Africa poses, the
United States would do well to find a local partner that can facilitate all
three. A strong candidate to play this role is a staunch US ally, the Kingdom of
Morocco: Since Muhammad VI assumed the throne in 1999, the country has worked to
establish goodwill, political and economic ties, and a strong security footprint
across the continent—both north and south of the Sahara....King Mohammed appears
to believe that security in any developing country rests on a combination of
military operations, intelligence work and policing on the one hand, and
anti-poverty measures, the promotion of religious tolerance and
opportunity-boosting political reforms on the other. This is the approach he has
employed in his own country since a 2003 triple suicide bombing rattled the
kingdom. It was recently consolidated by a new constitution that grants sweeping
domestic authorities to an elected chief of government, mandates equal
opportunity for women and minorities, and democratizes domestic security by
establishing a consultative security council bringing the monarchy and elected
officials together."" (thanks Larry)