Al-Masry al-Youm, Egypt, Originally posted in Arabic on December 20
This might sound like a rather strange question, because Egypt is already facing an ongoing war on terror, posed by extremist organizations both within and outside its borders. But a few developments in the international arena suggest that Cairo might begin to assume a greater role in the campaign against the Islamic State.
First and foremost, Saudi Arabia recently announced its plan to invest $8 billion in Egypt to help boost its economy. There is reason to believe that this generous support was not given free of charge, as Riyadh expects Egypt to stand by its side in its battle against the Houthi rebels and Islamic State; if not in the actual deployment of forces, than at least on the intelligence and counter-terrorism front.
Secondly, Russian President Vladimir Putin recently announced that Russian tourists would be allowed to return to Egypt as soon as local authorities provide the necessary security assurances needed to protect airport infrastructure. This suggests that the Kremlin is interested in warming up its ties with Cairo, which have been at an all-time low since the downing of the Russian airliner in Sinai earlier last month. Perhaps Moscow is looking towards Cairo with an expectation to assist its airstrike efforts in Syria.
Lastly, British authorities have released earlier this week a report linking the Muslim Brotherhood to terrorism. This provides President Al-Sissi’s government with much-needed international backing to act against Brotherhood opposition at home. Al-Sissi has often been accused of forcefully suppressing his opposition, but such findings are likely to legitimize his government’s policies. This development, too, will likely make it easier for Egypt to allocate resources to a new front.
All in all, there is no doubt that Egypt has both interests and risks to partake in this war effort. However, defeating the Islamic State in the Levant will destroy the organization’s branches in Sinai, which pose a direct threat on Egyptian national security.
Additionally, Cairo will send a clear message to the world that a terror organization claiming to act on behalf of all Muslims – targeting innocents in Syria, Iraq, France, and the United States – is nothing more than a bunch of extremists attempting to hijack the Arab world.
Both goals are important, and both might drive Al-Sissi’s government to take action. This will certainly be the president’s toughest decision to make, since assuming office in 2014. – Abd al-Menaam Saeed