REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, WASHINGTON - The Obama administration will tell lawmakers Thursday that it will not declare Egypt's government overthrow a coup, US officials said, allowing the United States to continue providing 1.5 billion USD in annual military and economic aid to the Arab world's most populous country.
William Burns, the State Department's No. 2 official, will hold closed-doors briefings with members of the House and Senate just a day after Washington delayed delivery of four F-16 fighter jets to Egypt. It was the first US action since the military ousted Mohammed Mursi as president, imprisoned him and other Muslim Brotherhood members and suspended the constitution earlier this month.
The administration has been forced into difficult contortions to justify not declaring a coup d'etat, which would prompt the automatic suspension of American assistance programs under US law. Washington fears that halting such funding could imperil programs that help to secure Israel's border and fight weapons smuggling into the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, among other things seen as critical to US national security.
It is unclear what specific arguments it will present Thursday, but the officials said Burns will explain how the administration has yet to make any coup determination and that it doesn't plan to do so in the future as Egypt moves to restore civilian governance and hold new democratic elections. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to speak publicly ahead of the private meetings.
Many from both parties in Congress sympathize with the administration's view and the need to back a military that has safeguarded Egypt's peace with Israel for three decades. Still, some across the political spectrum disagree. Republicans from libertarian Sen. Rand Paul to hawkish Sen. John McCain, and Democrats such as Sen. Carl Levin have demanded the coup law be enforced.
The law stipulates, however, that it is President Barack Obama and his administration's decision on how to characterize Mursi's July 3 overthrow.
Ikuti Whatsapp Channel Republika