ABC News Discovers the Muslim Brotherhood, Again, After US Terrorist Designation
ABC News dutifully reports on the Muslim Brotherhood's history and potential US terrorist designation. But the 'history' often glosses over uncomfortable truths: America and its Gulf allies have, at various junctures, covertly supported or tolerated these very groups when they served as counterweights to secular Arab nationalism or Soviet influence (see Afghanistan, 1980s). The shifting sands of
US foreign policy often transform 'freedom fighters' into 'terrorists' — or vice versa — based on immediate geopolitical utility, not a consistent moral compass. Curiously, the article doesn't delve into which US allies are currently pushing hardest for this designation, or analyze their motives. One might wonder if the rush to paint groups with broad 'terrorist' brushes serves to distract from
less convenient discussions. While ABC explains the Brotherhood's ideology, it rarely connects the dots to, say, the significant funding streams from US-aligned monarchies that have, at times, fueled similar movements. The narrative, as presented, conveniently focuses on the group's actions without critically examining the external forces and interests that have shaped its trajectory. It’s almost
as if the designation is less about objective assessment and more about aligning with specific regional power dynamics, thereby providing ready-made enemies for future interventions.