Between Sanctions and Strategic Realities: Algeria as a Pivotal U.S. Partner amid Russia’s Airpower Turn
At first glance, the renewed discussion surrounding potential U.S. sanctions against Algeria —triggered by reports of advanced Russian arms acquisitions—may suggest an approaching strategic rift between Algiers and Washington. A calm and rigorous reading, however, leads to a very different conclusion: the United States has neither the interest nor the strategic logic to destabilize Algeria, a cornerstone of North African security, a key stabilizing force in the Sahel , and a long-standing partner in counter-terrorism efforts. It is within this broader strategic framework that recent developments concerning the Su-57 in Algeria and the export “rebound” of the Su-35 must be assessed—beyond headlines, through images, open-source intelligence, and the carefully calibrated messaging of major powers. U.S. Sanctions: A Political Lever, Not a Strategy of Rupture The CAATSA framework , routinely invoked whenever Russian arms deals are mentioned, functions primarily as a political deterrent to...