Director of the Laboratory of International Relations Research and Studies at the University of Algiers III Prof. Dr. Smail Debeche “Türkiye, Algeria, Syria, Libya and Egypt should form a strategic alliance against the US Mediterranean aggression”
He has Ph.D. in political sciences and international relations (1987), University of York, U.K,, also a certificate from the International Center of Pedagogic Studies (C.E.P.E.C) Craponne, Lyon, France (1993) and a Certificate on National Security, Institute of Political Science, Christian Albrechts University (1994), Kiel, Germany. He frequently wrote articles in different journals and newspapers as well as present various papers in national and international seminars about democracy, domestic politics, security, economy, cultural, strategy and international subjects especially about the Mediterranean zone, African issues, the Arab World, the Maghreb and Europe, Arab - Chinese relations, Sino - African relations. He is the Chairman of the Algerian-Chinese Friendship Association (ACFA) and a member of the Algerian Western Sahara People's Solidarity Committee (CNASPS). He has published 11 books on Algeria, Africa, Western Sahara, foreign policy and Arab Spring.
How to cite: Debeche, S. (2023). Türkiye, Algeria, Syria, Libya and Egypt should form a strategic alliance against the US Mediterranean aggression. (Işıkgün Akfırat, Interviewer). BRIQ Belt & Road Initiative Quarterly, 4(2), 50-57.
"Western Great Powers have heavily used the Mediterranean Sea in their colonial campaigns and strategic dimensions at the expense of non-Western countries in the Mediterranean Zone. No one but America gains from any aggressive military action. America profited from the invasion of Iraq, profited from its attitude towards Syria, profited from Libya, etc. That's why every country should take this seriously, especially those in the Mediterranean region that need to cooperate more. Türkiye, Algeria, Syria, Libya, and Egypt—all these countries should be strategic allies, and they should be in greater consensus with each other instead of getting into conflicts. The exploitation of petroleum and gas, which are some of the main issues that Mediterranean countries face, should be studied seriously. They should be solved politically instead of engaging in wars and conflicts with each other; if not, in the end, the winner will be America and European countries."
Prof. Dr. Smail Debeche, Director of the Laboratory of International Relations Research and Studies at the University of Algiers III, answered Işıkgün Akfırat’s questions.
Recently, the Mediterranean has been fought over who gains the most. During World
increasingly mentioned in military and War II, Mediterranean countries under Western
political strategy texts. How do you see the colonialism were forced to participate in
importance of the Mediterranean in terms of colonialist struggles at the expense of the region’s
world geopolitics? people. Algeria, under French colonialism,
served as a military base for Britain, France,
Prof. Dr. Smail Debeche: The majority of the and the USA in their military attacks against
crises that we have been experiencing over the Germany. Algeria, with a long and rich history
last 15 years have occurred in the Mediterranean as a state and an area more than four times larger
zone, beginning with Syria, Libya, and even than France, coupled with a Mediterranean
the intervention in Mali via the Mediterranean coast almost twice as long as that of French
Sea. The latter has always been a strategically Mediterranean Sea frontiers, was considered a
important zone in which great powers have part of French territory.
One of the NATO protests in Türkiye this year. (TGB, 2023TGB (2023). The source article does not provide a separate full bibliographic entry for this citation.)
Western Great Powers have heavily In a broad picture, according to
used the Mediterranean Sea in their colonial recent developments, why do you think
campaigns and strategic dimensions at the the Mediterranean is becoming more
expense of non-Western countries in the important in Western strategy? Which
Mediterranean Zone. NATO used Türkiye state actors have been involved in a
to sow discord in Iraq (2003) and the geopolitical confrontation in the eastern
Mediterranean region since 2011, resulting in Mediterranean?
the so-called Arab Spring. NATO doesn’t serve
the security of Türkiye; it serves Europe and the Prof. Dr. Smail Debeche: I think Britain
USA. On the contrary, an unstable situation in is a key state actor in recent developments.
Türkiye means weakening Islamic countries Britain is very much integrated into the
and hence weakening anti-Israel countries. eastern Mediterranean situation. As you
In addition, the West will never let a country know, they have the upper hand on most of
like Türkiye be a leading country in the region, Greece, Southern Cyprus, the Middle East,
especially the Mediterranean zone. and the so-called State of Israel. So that means
Britain is a great factor in making decisions have become more dependent on it. The U.S.
in the region. is returning to its traditional politics, which is
The second reason, I think, would be to enforce the NATO alliance to maintain its
Israel. Israel’s cooperation with the U.S. and presence in the Mediterranean countries and
some European countries aims to prevent to impose sanctions on any country that can
Türkiye from having an influence in the undermine its politics. Türkiye, Russia, and
Mediterranean. If Türkiye became a great China can be considered as those countries.
power in the Mediterranean Sea, Israel would That’s why Russia’s maintaining and securing
be in a dangerous situation, and especially its national borders, national values, and
now, Türkiye has awakened and is alarmed influence mean that it will be a gain for
by the West’s tactics against it. Türkiye has Türkiye and a gain to weaken the western
begun to depart from western containment, domination of the world, which is one-sided
and they see Türkiye in the next few years politics instead of multi-polar politics.
being more positive and more cooperative I think Türkiye should welcome multi-
with Syria, Mediterranean countries, Arab polar politics rather than stay in a uni-polar
countries, Iran, Russia, and many countries system because there’s no gain for any country
in Asia. That means the escalation of in the uni-polar system. Türkiye should be a
undermining Türkiye in the Mediterranean part of BRICS and cooperate more with China
would also be increased by the U.S., some on the Belt and Road Initiative. This will
European countries, and especially by Britain support the Turkish economy more because
and U.S. allies in the Mediterranean zone. it is now more artificial than structural, as it
is run and handed by the banks of the U.S.,
USA has announced that it is shifting its not Türkiye. So, if Türkiye does not establish
geopolitical focus to the Pacific from the a serious economic basis for its existence as
Middle East. Some analyze this as meaning soon as possible, the Turkish economy could
we will see a more restrained effect on the be threatened at any time. We witnessed
East Mediterranean and the Middle East how Türkiye suffered when the U.S. tried to
from the USA. Do you agree with them? bring down Türkiye financially, and they still
How do you think this shift will affect our threaten Türkiye as such.
region? If Türkiye can now depend on itself,
economic punishment will not affect Türkiye
Prof. Dr. Smail Debeche: Well, I think as seriously as it used to affect it 20 years
the Ukrainian crisis has changed a lot of ago. Economic punishment for Iran has not
things. It has diverted the attention of the brought down the Iranian economy. Iran is
U.S. and Europe. The U.S. is pushing Europe getting out of it. Türkiye should draw lessons
more to guide its strategic presence in the from Russian and Iranian politics and adopt
Mediterranean zone. Now, Europe is in a very more independent policies from America
weak position. The U.S. guides them, and they and the West.
BRICS Parliamentary Forum held in Beijing, September 6, 2022. (Xinhua, 2022Xinhua (2022). The source article does not provide a separate full bibliographic entry for this citation.)
Regarding the role of Algeria, which is a and Americans prefer Algeria to be a member of
rising state both in Mediterranean politics their side. A position that has never been and will
and South African politics, we see, as never be taken by Algeria. Algeria doesn’t want
you mentioned, BRICS and Shanghai to depend on one camp against the other. The
Cooperation Organization are on the President of Algeria, Abdel Madrid Tabboune,
agenda of the Algerian government. continuously affirms that Algeria’s stance is to
have friendships and strategic relations with all
Prof. Dr. Smail Debeche: Algeria has the great powers and to go wherever national
always pursued a non-aligned policy. It means interests lead. For now, national policy is oriented
balancing relations with the West and the East, towards integrating into BRICS, while Algeria’s
which means with the U.S. and Europe the same economic relations are more with the European
as with Russia and China. Of course, Europeans Union and the USA.
For decades, the West, like the East, gained from its position against Syria, gained
demonstrated a relative understanding of from Libya, etc., and the other countries are
Algeria’s position. Recently, however, we have out now; they just paid the price. So that’s
seen some Western extremists with a colonial why every country should take this seriously,
mind criticize countries with a neutral especially the countries in the Mediterranean
position and seek solutions to regional and zone, which should be more cooperative.
international crises, including the Ukrainian Türkiye, Algeria, Syria, Libya, and Egypt—all
crisis. these countries should be strategic allies, and
they should be in greater consensus with each
Türkiye has announced that it has a stake in other instead of getting into conflicts. The
joining BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation exploitation of petroleum and gas, which are
Organization, and Algeria also has a stake in some of the main issues that Mediterranean
joining those organizations. What do you think countries face, should be studied seriously.
about this new orientation considering the They should be solved politically instead
multi-polar world reality and its effect on the of engaging in wars and conflicts with each
balance of power in the East Mediterranean? other; if not, in the end, the winner will be
How do you see Russia and China involving America and European countries.
themselves more in Mediterranean politics in
this respect? What about the Belt and Road Initiative?
What do you think about its importance,
Prof. Dr. Smail Debeche: Algeria paid especially in the Mediterranean and North
the price for the security of the Mediterranean Africa? What do you think this initiative
through the military offensiveness of offers the region, and what can the region
Europeans and Americans. We all witnessed offer in return?
the operation against Kaddafi. Algeria paid
the price, including for the terrorist attacks Prof. Dr. Smail Debeche: Well, as you
on the gas platform and the Algerian Sahara. know, the southern coast of the Mediterranean
Unfortunately, Türkiye was used, which is longer and surrounded by Türkiye, Syria,
was a big mistake. Algeria was against any Palestine, Egypt, Libya, Algeria, and Morocco.
intervention. Fortunately, Türkiye is now This means the southern region has more
cohesive with Algeria and more cooperative strategic points because it opens to Asia,
with Algeria on a non-intervention military Africa, and the Atlantic Ocean. So that means
strategy. those countries should sit together and impose
I think military interventions allow policies for the presence of great powers in the
Western countries to continue their region. America is 6.000 kilometers away from
traditional position. No one but America this region. I don’t understand why America’s
will gain from any offensive military action. presence in this region is not controlled by the
America gained from its occupation of Iraq, consensus of these countries.
Demonstrators take part in an anti-NATO protest ahead of the NATO summit, which was held on June 28 and June 30, 2022, in Madrid, Spain.(BJ Review, 2022BJ Review (2022). The source article does not provide a separate full bibliographic entry for this citation.)
Considering the pressure from the West to serious economic partner.
contain the regional powers, do you think That’s why, as soon as Algeria demanded to
the Belt and Road Initiative can provide be integrated into the BRICS, China accepted
more space for independent policies and it and welcomed Algeria. Therefore, Algeria
alternative ways for the regional countries to is a model and a door for cooperation with
develop? China in Africa. As you know, we have
motorways reaching towards West Africa,
Prof. Dr. Smail Debeche: Yes, Algeria is a South Africa, and the East of Africa. That
model for that. Algeria has set the structure, means I think the cooperation between
in terms of ports, in terms of roads, in Algeria and China will be tripled, especially
terms of railways, in terms of setting laws after the visit of President Abdelmadjid
and regulations for a base. Algeria is a base Tebboune to China soon. He will visit both
and a model for cooperation with China. China and Russia. He will also visit France. It
China and Algeria have signed two strategic means they will have balanced international
cooperation agreements in the last three politics rather than going only to one camp
months. That means China sees Algeria as a or the other camp.
We witnessed the U.S. being more positive daily against Western influence and
towards Africa at the U.S.-Africa Leaders seeking more cooperation with Russia and
Summit held in Washington, DC, rather China. That means the absolute truth they
than hawkish, pointing fingers at African had before is no longer apparent in the
states. It was like an attempt to calm down picture. That’s why, perhaps, America has
Africa. What is your prediction for the U.S.’s more appeasing policies towards African
Mediterranean and North African policies? governments, as seen when they met in
Recently, the U.S. said, “We respect your Washington.
international affairs” regarding Algeria
regarding CAATSA sanctions. Now we see The final question: Do you see the U.S. and
a more careful, cautious approach towards European interests completely overlap in
the African States, so how do you evaluate Mediterranean affairs, or can we expect
their approach and the position of the some diversions on the part of European
African States? countries from the U.S. politics regarding
the Mediterranean? Prof. Dr. Smail Debeche: Well, the
U.S. has always been as such. When the Prof. Dr. Smail Debeche: There are two
governments come together, they use their kinds of approaches towards the U.S. in
official approach, discussing concepts like Europe. The non-official approach is largely
solidarity, friendship, etc. Still, at the same anti-US policy and strategy, especially in
time, they provoke other non-governmental countries like France, Italy, and Germany.
institutions to undermine African policies, They see it as being used by the USA for
including Algeria’s. It happened when the latter’s Great Power mission rather than
27 senators signed against Algeria for for European interests. Some argue that
cooperating with Russia militarily. The America has used Europe to further its
European Parliament also made comments. strategic interests at the expense of Europe.
They sent an issued statement about so- Officially, the notion of an independent
called human rights. That means they have Europe asserted by the Council of the
two faces. The official face: “Yes, yes, we are European Union is rapidly fading, giving
friends, we are cooperative, we respect you.” way to the United States’ traditional policy
Simultaneously, they say, “It was not us; it in Europe based on the Marshall Plan
is another non-governmental institution; following World War II. The Ukraine Crisis
we can’t do that.” But they know that the affirmed such a European assumption and
Mediterranean and African countries and approach. Influential European countries
their people are no longer the same as they such as France and Germany have been
have been with Europe and the U.S. before. trying to differentiate themselves from the
As you know, in 15 African countries, United States. However, they haven’t yet
all the people there have been manifesting put their intentions into action.