The WSJ has a fascinating (although behind a paywall) article about how the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood eventually agreed to the IMF loan in principle. The international organization came to the MB, knowing the loan would not push through without their approval.
The MB has long been skeptical of Western intervention, and some members saw the loan similar to those that invited foreign interference in the 18th and 19th centuries to collect debts.
In addition to agreeing to the loan in principle, observers note that now in power, the MB can little afford to rail against Western and Zionist interference. More pressing are economic worries, as Egypt's economy crashes.
Also driving MB decision-making is the rise of the Salafist Nour party, with which the MB must compete for Islamist votes. As with any country, competition from the right will push politics to the right, perhaps complicating MB efforts to warm to the West.
They have had little time to accustom themselves to the new reality--a year ago they were banned, now they are on the cusp of becoming Egypt's new elite ruling class.
"It's been an extreme crash course for us and it came to a head that day [when they agreed to the loan]," said Essam el-Haddad, the group's foreign policy advisor. "Remember, for 60 years we were working underground and now we've come out into the light and are staring directly into the sun. We're all blinking and rubbing our eyes, like the Chilean miners. To adapt to this takes time, and we don't have time."
The MB has long been skeptical of Western intervention, and some members saw the loan similar to those that invited foreign interference in the 18th and 19th centuries to collect debts.
In addition to agreeing to the loan in principle, observers note that now in power, the MB can little afford to rail against Western and Zionist interference. More pressing are economic worries, as Egypt's economy crashes.
Also driving MB decision-making is the rise of the Salafist Nour party, with which the MB must compete for Islamist votes. As with any country, competition from the right will push politics to the right, perhaps complicating MB efforts to warm to the West.
They have had little time to accustom themselves to the new reality--a year ago they were banned, now they are on the cusp of becoming Egypt's new elite ruling class.
"It's been an extreme crash course for us and it came to a head that day [when they agreed to the loan]," said Essam el-Haddad, the group's foreign policy advisor. "Remember, for 60 years we were working underground and now we've come out into the light and are staring directly into the sun. We're all blinking and rubbing our eyes, like the Chilean miners. To adapt to this takes time, and we don't have time."
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