Egypt’s misguided terrorism answer

From the Washington Post:

Counterterrorism authorities have long been concerned that as the Islamic State loses territory in Iraq and Syria it will seek to establish new bases in other parts of the region. If so, Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula is looking like fertile ground. Last Friday they staged the bloodiest assault yet, killing more than 300 worshippers at a mosque in northern Sinai.

The merciless attack also reflected the incompetence that has characterized Egyptian security forces. A militant commander in Sinai publicly vowed to “eradicate” the al-Rawda mosque. Weeks before the assault, Islamic State leaflets were distributed threatening Sufis. But Egyptian troops never deployed in the village of Rawda — leaving the mosque exposed.

The Sissi regime offers a textbook example of how not to respond to Islamist extremism. The army patrols Sinai in tanks and armoured personnel carriers; rather than protecting the population, it is known for summary executions, torture and wanton destruction of civilian infrastructure.

Many Egypt experts have pointed to the desperate need for development programs in Sinai to give hope to a restive population. U.S. officials have argued for years for a reorientation of the Egyptian military toward counterterrorism training and tactics. Sissi is deaf to all such appeals. The regime continues to spend billions on tanks, fighter jets, submarines and other conventional gear that is of little or no use against the Islamic State.