(VOVworld) – Amidst a series of attacks on and suppression of supporters of ousted President Mohamed Morsi in Egypt, the US has officially suspended military and economic aid to Egypt, one of its principal allies in the Middle East.
A negative economic and military signal
The US will stop transferring to Egypt about 260 million USD in cash payments and weapons, including Apache helicopters, F-16 fighter jets, M1A1 Abrams tank parts, and Harpoon missiles. Previously, the US canceled a joint military exercise with Egypt and the delivery of 4 F-16 fighter jets.
President Barack Obama is trying to pressure the Egyptian interim government into reducing its suppression of Morsi supporters and be more active in effecting a political transfer in Egypt.
The aid suspension was not a surprise because there have been rumors that the US would reconsider its aid to Egypt after a coup toppled President Morsi in July and a bloody suppression began targeting the Muslim Brotherhood.
To lessen its influence
After it announced the aid cut, the US was strongly criticized by the Egyptian interim government. Spokesman of the Egyptian Foreign Ministry, Badr Abdelatty, said the decision was wrong in terms of content and time because Egypt is facing dangerous challenges from terrorism. He said "It raises serious questions about US readiness to provide stable, strategic support to Egyptian security programs". He affirmed that the Egyptian leadership will not change its current policies.
Egyptian Prime Minister Hazem El-Beblawi warned that Egypt has purchased weapons from Russia and will find a solution in the future without US assistance. He revealed that Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Kuwait have committed billions of USD in aid to support its military. Egypt's army Chief General Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi said Egypt will not tolerate any pressure by action or implication.
The US decision has strained the alliance and is expected to cause further damage to Egypt’s economy after two years of instability. The tourism sector has declined, and the economic crisis has worsened.
To assure its allies
US Secretary of State John Kerry said the United States will continue to provide support for health, education, counterterrorism, and border security. Kerry said: “By no means is this is a withdrawal from our relationship or a severing of our serious commitment to helping the government meet those goals." He opened the possibility of resuming aid delivery. That will depend on the steps the Egyptian government takes towards a political transfer.
Kerry’s assurance may not be enough. Egypt used to be an economic leader in the Middle East and North Africa. And since 1978, Egypt has been an important ally of the US. What is happening now suggests that US interests in the region and US influence on the Egyptian interim government have weakened.