Hamas, Afghanistan, West and CIA: Conspiracy Theories Abound in Poor Sinai
Many insist on ignoring the logic that poverty, neglect and violence breed resentment, militancy and counter violence in the Sinai Peninsula.
Major General Ahmed Raja Attia, founder of a unit in the Egyptian army known as Task Force 777, has a fascinating theory of his own. He told a local TV channel: “Those who carried out the recent fierce operations are military forces (affiliated with) Hamas and coming from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Libya, Iraq and Syria, under the leadership and planning of the West and the CIA.”
That logic is not far removed from what Sisi himself had claimed. He too didn’t pause to consider Sinai’s extreme poverty and near-total negligence by Cairo, but quickly pointed the finger at “foreign hands” that are “trying to break Egypt’s back.”
“Be aware of what is being hatched against us. All that is happening to us is known to us and we expected it and talked about it before July 3,” he said in his message to Egyptians, following the October attacks, referring to the day the military overthrew Mohammed Morsi.
His line remained unchanged following the deadly attacks late January. While awaiting the bodies of the dead soldiers in Almaza military airport in Cairo, Sisi spoke of a ‘great war’ that his army is fighting in Sinai. “These violent incidents are a reaction to our efforts to combat terrorism. The toll during the last few months has been very high and every day there are scores of terrorists who are killed and hundreds of them have already been liquidated.”
Although the attackers, according to media pundits, seem to be coming from various backgrounds and nationalities, it’s the Palestinians who seem to be held accountable. Gaza, which has no particular interest in ‘breaking Egypt’s back’ is under increased isolation, and victim of yet another ‘buffer zone’.
Excerpts from the forthcoming article: No Victory in Sinai: Egypt’s War against Itself – Ramzy Baroud – Gulf News
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