There is an argument that the #MuslimBrotherhood should not be criticized when they are in a weak and vulnerable position. Practically speaking, this is an indefinite suspension of criticism, since being in a weak and vulnerable position is their perpetual condition; and their being in a perpetual position of weakness is one of the chief points worth criticizing.
They are now on the verge of being designated a terrorist group, which, according to the above logic, intensifies the obligation to not criticize them even more, even in the face of what will constitute perhaps their biggest failure yet. In other words, the worse they perform as an organization, the more they should be spared criticism. That’s a neat trick. And it is precisely this way of thinking that has helped exacerbate and accelerate their decay.
No doubt the Ikhwan will declare that their designation as terrorists reveals just how dangerously effective they are; they will posture like the designation is a badge of achievement. But how does that work exactly, when their whole program has always been to spread the acceptance of their ideas, and in the West to promote integration into the broader society and gain influence within the political system? How is it “mission accomplished” to be branded a terrorist organization?
It is an obvious and colossal failure; but no one is supposed to say so. If and when this designation becomes official, make no mistake, it will be catastrophic for the Muslim Brotherhood. If they themselves do not comprehend how devastating this will be, that would not be surprising; they have misread, misunderstood, and miscalculated every single political reality they ever tried to address.
The Brotherhood is very good at creating organisations and projects, but they utterly lack the necessary vision and political acumen to coordinate a mass movement to successfully achieve any meaningful societal objectives. And they, and their sympathizers have barred any possibility of them ever changing, improving, and acquiring what they lack in order to become effective, since they must be spared criticism as long as they are failing. But any serious organization or individual knows that this is when criticism is the most necessary.