What is certain is that Egypt's current management of the state is a failure par excellence. I even expect that the Brotherhood's style of governance will be used as a model to teach future generations how to avoid failure, how not to rule a country. This is neither an incrimination nor an underestimation of the current Egyptian government. This is merely a description that fits the reality anyone with a vision can see. It fits a reality denied by those who sold themselves to achieve small temporary aims at the expense of the country and its general interest. There have been plenty of such men throughout the ages. When the Brotherhood took over - whatever the means were - optimists thought it was a group rich with cadres whose rights had been violated for decades. Optimists thought that in addition to these “powerful” cadres, the Brotherhood would also make use of supportive powerful international relations in order to succeed in its first, and most important, governing experience. Among the optimists were people who thought that the Brotherhood would not remain captive to grudges of the past and that it would begin to cooperate with all political and social parties to unite them under the aim of setting the country on the path to progress. The optimists hoped that the Brotherhood would be a unifying national coalition that would lead the country through the phase of rebuilding. Previous expectations from the Brotherhood were those of optimists. These optimists were of two kinds. The first kind falls into the category of the “deceived.” They are those who did not know much about the Brotherhood's history as a group that rejects others upon certain conditions. Such people cannot be blamed because it is not a must that everyone should know all the details about the Brotherhood. The other type falls into the category of the “deceivers.” They are those who knew the truth about the Brotherhood but, for personal aims and vendettas, ignored what they knew and contributed to putting us all in difficulty and later apologized after they, and their aims, were harmed. The apology, however, came too late or, as it is said, it came “after the axe struck the head.” The few who knew the truth about the Brotherhood fell into the category of pessimists. This pessimism was an expression of reality rather than a political stance. Some of those pessimists kept silent and waited out of fear of being accused of being against the Brotherhood, while those who spoke out were fiercely criticized and were attacked by the Brotherhood's followers. It did not take long for the Brotherhood to reveal what it really was. Those who supported the Brotherhood for personal aims realized the trick played on them so they retreated and apologized for supporting the Brotherhood. But this came too late. The truth is that the Brotherhood has failed all Egyptians except its followers. It quickly revealed its emptiness. We have heard plenty of promises but when the time came there was nothing but failure. Talk about the numerous cadres and experts was nothing more than fanfare. We only saw very few of them. This either means that these are all they have or that the others refuse to participate because they realize there is mismanagement that will lead to a farce. As for the talk about billions of pounds, it was nothing more than lost billions. The Brotherhood's cabinet is attempting to gain a few billion - less than five - which represents ten percent of Egypt's reserves that were lost in two years. The Brotherhood also attempts to convince naive people of fake achievements and victories because the International Monetary Fund delegation agreed to visit Egypt or because one of its members positively indicated that negotiations may succeed. I think it is not unlikely that the day the IMF's approval of the loan is announced will be a national occasion that the Brotherhood celebrates. The Brotherhood's cabinet may even make the day the loan is approved into an official holiday. They deceive the naive and tell them that approving the loan is a birth certificate and an act that displays trust in the Egyptian economy. They do not tell them that Egypt removed the term “borrowing” from its glossary in the mid-1990s. The Brotherhood runs the state as per its interests and regional alliances. This is why the man holding the post of the prime minister rushed to Qatar to break the ice in relations. He also committed and took it upon himself to resolve the problems of Qatari businessmen who have direct relations with the Brotherhood's leaders and representatives at state institutions including the presidency. Our brother, the Egyptian prime minister, announced from the Qatari capital his commitment to facilitate Qatari investments and businesses. This stance is acceptable if it is one that is adopted toward all countries, particularly toward those that have huge investments in Egypt. But on the other hand, we find that state institutions are exploiting their capabilities to obstruct and eventually kick out investors who come from other countries that lack warmth and friendliness on the level of their relations with the Brotherhood. It is enough to observe the problems that, for example, Emirati investments are facing. I think that many know the problems these investments and investors are facing in Egypt. They in fact know that they are paying the price for the tense relations between the Brotherhood and the government of the Emirates. The tense relations are a result of the Brotherhood's activity that opposes the government there and that attempts to harm the situation there. And so these investments have become a hostage of this tension. And of course the Brotherhood's permanent slogan is: “Egypt shouldn't even matter,” as their former supreme guide once put it. And so the Brotherhood's management of the state squanders billions, as it attempts to develop relations with other countries according to its interests and not the state's. In managing domestic affairs, the Brotherhood, through all its representatives, has managed to divide the people. All their members have contributed to this and as a result Egyptians have positioned themselves in different trenches preparing for battles that some have warned may turn into a civil war. Meanwhile, the Brotherhood is busy controlling everything in the country. It is busy attempting to restrain institutions and eliminate all those who have different stances. Most of those who currently deal with the Brotherhood are aware that their presence is a temporary one linked to the fact they are needed for now. They are aware that they will be gotten rid of once the Brotherhood no longer needs them. The current situation in Egypt is strange. It is not only a case of failed management; Egypt as a state is getting poorer, while the Brotherhood is getting richer. This will not go unpunished. A day will come when the Brotherhood will be held accountable. But unfortunately, it does not seem that this will be soon.
— Abdel Latif El-Menawy is an author, columnist and multimedia journalist who has covered conflicts around the world. Follow him on Twitter @ALMenawy
