▁contemporary ▁Maur it ania . ▁ ▁The ▁claim ▁to ▁the ▁Spanish ▁Sah ara ▁was ▁again ▁popular ized ▁by ▁the ▁regime ▁in ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 7 0 s , ▁as ▁Spain ▁prepared ▁to ▁depart ▁the ▁col ony . ▁Maur it ania ▁then ▁fe ared ▁Mor oc can ▁expansion ▁towards ▁its ▁border , ▁against ▁the ▁background ▁of ▁compet ing ▁claims ▁for ▁a ▁" Gre ater ▁Mor oc co " ▁that ▁had ▁previously ▁included ▁not ▁only ▁Spanish ▁Sah ara , ▁but ▁also ▁Maur it ania ▁in ▁its ▁entire ty . ▁( Mor oc co ▁had ▁refused ▁to ▁recognize ▁Maur it ania ▁from ▁independence ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 0 , ▁although ▁relations ▁were ▁established ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 9 .) ▁ ▁C . ▁R . ▁P enn ell ▁writes , ▁" The ▁Maur itan ian ▁President , ▁M ok ht ar ▁O uld ▁D ada , ▁talked ▁about ▁a ▁' Gre ater ▁Maur it ania ', ▁a ▁supposed ▁common ▁culture ▁shared ▁by ▁Arab ic - spe aking ▁tribes ▁between ▁the ▁Sen eg al ▁river ▁and ▁the ▁Dr à a ▁valley . ▁The ▁idea ▁helped ▁build ▁unity ▁at ▁home , ▁and ▁to ▁hold ▁back ▁Mor oc can ▁expansion ism ." ▁ ▁Say ▁Thompson ▁and ▁Ad lo ff , ▁" From ▁the ▁out set ▁of ▁his ▁political ▁career , ▁D add ah ▁vo iced ▁an ▁ir red ent ist ▁policy ▁with ▁regard ▁to ▁the ▁Western ▁Sah ara , ▁with ▁striking ▁per se ver ance ▁but ▁also ▁without ▁fl am boy ance , ▁with ▁less ▁than