When the Baby Milk Disappeared, Egypt Turned to the Military

Stores were running low of baby milk and suppliers had hiked prices. So the Egyptian government called in the army.

Trying to placate a population frustrated over the state of the country’s finances and rampant inflation, the military said it would import millions of tins of formula this month to sell for half the retail cost. The Arab nation is used to relying on the armed forces for more than just security: Their economic footprint includes everything from car plants and bottled water to hotels, gasoline stations and an international school with cut-price tuition.