Anti-Americanism in North Africa: Could State Relations Overcome Popular Resentment?

Anti-Americanism in North Africa is a complex phenomenon that can be analysed at two levels. The first level relates to the Maghribi governments' relationship - cooperative or hostile - with the United States. Traditionally, Tunisia and Morocco have maintained steady cooperation with the US, while for Algeria and Libya cooperation has only recently become a strategic choice. The second level relates to Maghribi public opinion. Although opinion polls and popular demonstrations often show a high degree of anti-Americanism, public opinion is not as homogeneous as it may appear. Indeed, there is a paradoxical twin movement of, on the one hand, real repulsion (animosity) towards the US government due to US policies, mainly toward the Arab and Muslim world, and, on the other hand, an obvious attraction for some American values and products, as well as for America's technological prowess. In order to avoid being alienated from their popular base, North African governments do their best to adjust their views to those of their public opinions. Hence, they criticise US policy towards the Palestinian issue or the Iraqi war, but at the same time cooperate fully with the US administration to obtain more direct investments for economic development, and for political support, in the name of security, to assure the survival of the regimes in place.