"The US is going ahead with plans to deliver four F-16 fighter jets
to Egypt despite the political unrest in the country, senior
American officials say. This comes as Washington is continuing to
evaluate last week's overthrow of President Mohammed Morsi by the
army. US massive military aid to Cairo would have to be cut by law
if the removal of the Islamist leader is determined by Washington to
have been a coup." [editor's note: No, the aid would have to be cut
by law if the coup IS a coup. And the coup is a coup. If you're
going to break the law, just break the law and knock off the garbage
about "determining" whether a thing is what it obviously is already
- TLK] (07/11/13)
The US is expected to deliver the
F-16 fighter jets in the next few weeks
The US is going
ahead with plans to deliver four F-16 fighter jets to Egypt
despite the political unrest in the country, senior American
officials say.
It comes as Washington is continuing to evaluate last week's
overthrow of President Mohammed Morsi by the army.
US massive military aid to Cairo would have to be cut by law
if the removal of the Islamist leader is determined by
Washington to have been a coup.
The Muslim Brotherhood, which backs Mr Morsi, is demanding
his reinstatement.
Its supporters have been staging mass protests near Cairo's
barracks, where he is believed to be being held. On Monday, more
than 50 Brotherhood loyalists were killed in clashes with the
army.
The new authorities have not said where Mr Morsi it, but a
foreign ministry spokesman said he was in a "safe place" and
being treated in a "very dignified manner".
'In US interests'
The US officials say Washington will deliver four F-16
fighter jets in the next few weeks.
They are part of an already agreed bigger order of 20 planes
- eight of which were sent to Egypt in January. The final eight
are expected to be shipped later this year.
White House spokesman Jay Carney on
Wednesday reiterated that it would not be "in the best interests
of the United States to make immediate changes to our assistance
programmes".
He added that the administration would take its time to
consider the implications of removing Mr Morsi from power.
US military aid to Egypt is estimated to be $1.3bn (£860m)
each year.
President Barack Obama has been careful not to use the word
"coup" in relation to events in Egypt, the BBC's Katy Watson in
Washington reports, as doing so would trigger the legal
requirement to cut off aid.
'Strong condemnation'
On Wednesday, arrest warrants were issued for the leader of
the Muslim Brotherhood, Mohamed Badie, and nine other senior
figures in the movement.
They are charged with inciting Monday's deadly violence in
the capital, in which more than 50 Brotherhood supporters, a
soldier and two policemen died.
The Brotherhood says the army fired on peaceful demonstrators
and it is accusing the interim authorities of a cover up. The
military, however, say soldiers acted in self-defence after
being attacked by armed assailants.
Many Brotherhood members are already in detention and
warrants are said to have been issued for hundreds more.
Lyse Doucet asks whether Ramadan will
effect the Egyptian crisis
Correspondents say the new warrants could scupper any
attempts to persuade the Brotherhood - banned for decades under
former President Hosni Mubarak - to participate in the
transitional political process.
The timetable for new elections was announced in a
constitutional declaration by interim President Adly Mansour on
Monday evening. It laid out plans to set up a panel to amend the
suspended constitution within 15 days.
The changes would then be put to a referendum - to be
organised within four months - which would pave the way for
parliamentary elections, possibly in early 2014.
Once the new parliament convenes, elections would be called
to appoint a new president.
The Brotherhood has rejected the
transition plan and its political wing, the Freedom and Justice
Party (FJP), has said it will turn down a post in the cabinet
being formed by the interim Prime Minister Hazem al-Beblawi.
Mr Beblawi said on Thursday that he had not ruled out
offering posts to the FJP.
"I don't look at political association," he told the AFP news
agency.
"I'm taking two criteria for the next government. Efficiency
and credibility."
The main liberal opposition coalition, the National Salvation
Front (NSF), and the grassroots Tamarod protest movement, which
co-ordinated the anti-Morsi protests, said they were not
consulted on the decree and have concerns about it.
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