As for the silence of the Muslim Brotherhood leaders regarding the catastrophic IMF loan decision set for October 9th, for those who are in prison, what we can say about them is that they supported a regime which opened negotiations with the IMF after vowing never to do so (Mursi), and which agreed in principle to every neoliberal policy step Sisi has taken so far, and to those which will be required of him if the loan is approved. If they have changed their position while in prison, that is conjecture, but we hope for the best from them.
As for those Brotherhood leaders who are free, in Turkey and in Qatar, in London, and wherever else, what is the excuse for their silence? Is it because they are impotent; impotent even to speak out against evil? For what then do they have their satellite channels, their conferences, their websites, and their Facebook pages; if they cannot even use these to condemn the IMF deal? Is it because of ignorance? Do they really, until now, not understand what the IMF is? On what possible basis can they ask for support then, to be placed in the government; while they are ignorant of the single most important and powerful international financial institutions on the planet Earth? What is the explanation for their silence? I will tell you what it is; they are a neoliberal, pro-status quo, counter-revolutionary organization. They would prefer you debate theories of Islamism versus secularism rather than to discuss economic policies that can bring about a real Islamic transformation in society; because that discussion would alienate their financiers among elite Gulf Arabs and the West.
And what is the excuse of all the other Islamist factions in “exile”? What is the excuse of all the Islamist “thinkers” online, who are supposedly striving to keep the revolutionary struggle alive while the “real” leaders are in prison? Do you not understand what the IMF agreement will mean for Egypt, or do you think that your followers will not understand? So you do not bother to explain to them?
Until the announcement is made on October 9th, I will not say it is too late to derail it. If any of you know what a fight is, you know that you keep fighting until the bell rings; and many fights are won in the final seconds. It is too important to be defeatist, too important to give up, too important to say, like a bitter old woman wringing her hands together, “there is nothing we can do.”
You can still defeat this agreement. You can still frighten the IMF; yes, you will have to do it without your “leaders” without your “parties” without your “groups”…you will have to fight on your own, just as you will have to suffer the consequences on your own if you fail.
So I urge you to fight, even if you start today, start tonight, or start tomorrow morning; and keep fighting until the last second.