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A Portent of Egypt's Future
(Wall Street Journal Europe, 15 Oct 04) Jonathan Eric Lewis- The terrorist attacks in Sinai last week, which targeted Israelis as well as the Egyptian tourist industry, could well mark the beginning of another protracted struggle between an authoritarian regime in Cairo that has ruled with emergency laws since the assassination of Anwar Sadat in 1981 and its Islamist adversaries. Although Egypt is often viewed as a moderate Arab state and as a beacon of stability, the country's political and intellectual life has been awash in fanaticism and a cult of violence for the past century. In addition to Saudi Arabia, Egypt has been the source for much of the region's Islamist extremism. Beyond the veneer of stability and the pro-American stance of the government, Egypt has endemic unemployment, high rates of illiteracy, and deep-rooted religious intolerance. While the "cold peace" between the Egyptian and Israeli militaries has lasted since the signing of the Camp David Accords, the Egyptian media has been persistent in its incitement against both Israel and Jews. The media and intellectual elite often employ anti-Semitic caricatures in order to distract popular attention away from the regime's corruption and ineptitude.