There is a relatively popular argument which states that the neoliberal program and the economic shock doctrine are not actually being imposed in Egypt because the military has too strong a grip on the economy, and has positioned itself as a competitor against multinationals. This argument, then, dismisses the importance of confronting multinational corporations, instead preferring to target army-owned enterprises. There is something subtly manipulative about this argument. It is indirectly implying that the army is not as dependable a partner in the subjugation of Egypt as another partner might be (perhaps the Ikhwan?).
Of course this is ludicrous. Sisi has adhered zealously to the IMF program from Day One, and has pushed through neoliberal policy reforms faster than anyone could have hoped. Egypt is now the 5th most popular destination in the world for Greenfield Foreign Direct Investment. The total economic power of the army is a fraction of the economic power of any single multinational corporation that has come to Egypt. If anyone in the military imagines that they can compete with these companies, they are severely delusional. At the moment, it is in the interests of everyone to collaborate. However, there is no doubt that, over time, the army’s monopolies will dissolve, whether through competition or collaboration with the multinationals; they will either be broken up or swallowed up. That is inevitable.
Even if it seems impossible to you now, it would not take a miracle for the army to relinquish its holdings in the economy. All it will take is for a few key individuals with decision-making authority in the military whose personal greed is greater than their loyalty to the army’s economic position; someone who would rather have several million dollars deposited into his private bank account over night, instead of having a share in the profits of a military enterprise over the course of several years. This process will become even easier if army companies attempt to compete with much larger, better quality, more efficient, foreign corporations; because they will realize that their long term profits are deteriorating before their eyes. So why not sell?
If you attack army-owned enterprises now, all you will do is create opportunities for greater market share for multinationals; essentially you will just accelerate the process which is already underway. If you think that once the army is pushed out of the economy your situation will improve, that is not obvious to me. The neoliberal program will not stop, it iwl intensify. Repression will not stop, it will intensify. The army will simply become even more than it already is, a private security company hired to protect the interests of the global owners of capital.
At the end of the day, you are going to have to deal with the invaders; there is no way around that.