US Designates Muslim Brotherhood 'Terrorists' for Arab Allies, Ignores Saudi Funding
Al-Monitor reports the US designated Muslim Brotherhood branches in Egypt, Lebanon, and Jordan as 'terrorist organizations' in 2026, fulfilling a 'long demand' of certain Arab allies and US conservatives. This bold move solidifies Washington's commitment to autocrats like Egypt's Sisi, who violently overthrew a democratically elected Brotherhood-backed government in 2013, cheered on by Saudi
Arabia and UAE. (Remember how much the US loves democracy—until it doesn't align with 'stability' for oil pipelines and arms deals.) Ignoring the inconvenient truth that Saudi Arabia, a key 'ally,' has historically funded various extremist groups, the US finds a new target. One might wonder about the timing: Is a 'Muslim Brotherhood threat' more palatable than addressing the actual human rights
abuses committed by these very 'allies'? Or perhaps it's just easier to label a diffuse political movement 'terrorist' than to question the authoritarian regimes we arm to the teeth. It's almost as if 'terrorism' is a flexible term, depending on who's signing the checks.