"Given the current situation in Egypt we do not believe it is appropriate to move forward at this time with the delivery of F-16s," spokesman George Little told reporters. PHOTO: AFP.
WASHINGTON: The United States has decided not to go ahead with plans to supply Egypt with an additional four F-16 fighter jets due to unrest gripping the country, the Pentagon said Wednesday.
"Given the current situation in Egypt we do not believe it is appropriate to move forward at this time with the delivery of F-16s," spokesperson George Little told reporters.
"We remain committed to the US-Egypt defense relationship as it remains a foundation of our broader strategic partnership with Egypt and serves as a pillar of regional stability," he said.
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel informed Egypt's army chief General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi of the decision in a phone call earlier Wednesday, Little said.
The Egyptian army chief, who led a coup on July 3 that ousted president Mohamed Morsi, called for mass protests on Wednesday to back a crackdown on what he called "terrorism and violence" by Morsi supporters.
Sisi's appeal also was discussed in Hagel's phone call to the general, according to Little, who did not offer more details.
The Pentagon did not say specifically why it made the decision to delay the delivery of the fighter jets but said the US government wanted to see Egypt move quickly towards democratic rule.
"Moving forward, everything we do and say will continue to be focused on hastening Egypt's return to a democratically elected government as soon as possible, consistent with our legal requirements and our national security interests," he said.
The US decision, however, did not signal that President Barack Obama's administration had concluded that Morsi was pushed out in a coup, Little said.
The administration has refrained from saying Morsi was the victim of a coup, which would legally require a freeze on some $1.5 billion in US military and economic assistance to Cairo.
US officials were still reviewing whether events in Egypt could be labeled a coup, Little said.
Under a $2.5 billion deal signed in 2010, the United States is committed to providing 20 F-16 fighters to Egypt. Four jets were delivered earlier this year and four more F-16s were due to be shipped over in coming weeks.
Despite the decision to delay delivery, the United States would go ahead with a planned joint military exercise with Egypt, Little said.
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@John Henry. Classic Pakistani anti American blather. In case you didn't read the article the American's are withholding the delivery of fighter jets. Further - the American's had nothing to do with the removal of either Mubarak or Morsi and they provided aid to Egypt under both leaders. American's deserve kudos for withholding the fighter jets as it might encourage them to hold elections.
This cannot washed away the bad name US has earned in supporting dictators in the middle east.
Nothing new, this is what is expected from the Obama administration because it supports terrorists only and gladly and generously supplies them with billions and arms as it did with the overthrown Islamist president Morsi who was democratically elected by Obama who spent billions to support him as documented by the tools of Obama (Hilary Clinton, Kerry and Anne Patterson). When it comes to the free will of the Egyptian people and its great army, then this is not democracy! They just a bunch of liars and the Egyptians have given ample time and explanations to them. But lairs are lairs. So let them do whatever they do. Stop meddling in the affairs of Egypt and live your false democracy in your country maybe there they believe your lies.