Special to WorldTribune.com

WASHINGTON — The administration of President Barack Obama, in a
surprise move, has suspended the delivery of F-16 multi-role fighters to
Egypt.

The Defense Department said it suspended plans to deliver four F-16
Block 50 fighters to Egypt, meant to have taken place in August. The
Pentagon cited massive unrest in wake of the military’s ouster of Egypt’s
first Islamist president, Mohammed Morsi.

“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,” Pentagon spokesman George Little said.

In a briefing on July 24, Little said Egypt was informed of the F-16 suspension earlier in the day. The spokesman said Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel telephoned his counterpart, Abdul Fatah Sisi, who called for massive pro-regime rallies against the ousted Muslim Brotherhood.

“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,” Little said.

Congressional sources said the Pentagon was ordered by the White House
to suspend the delivery of the F-16s to Egypt. They said Hagel and U.S.
military commanders had lobbied for the delivery of the remaining 12 F-16
aircraft ordered by Egypt in 2010. In January 2013, Egypt received the first
eight F-16s by Lockheed Martin.

“The congressional leadership made it clear that this would send the
wrong signal to Egypt’s military,” a congressional staffer said. “The White
House is also not happy over how the military is treating Morsi and the
Brotherhood.”

Little said the United States would maintain other cooperation with
Egypt, which receives $1.5 billion in annual aid, most of it for the
military. He said Washington would work with Cairo to organize a major
regional exercise, Bright Star, in the fall of 2013.

“We remain committed to the U.S.-Egypt defense relationship as it
remains a foundation of our broader strategic partnership with Egypt and
serves as a pillar of regional stability,” Little said.

  Abdul Fatah Sisi, F-16 Block 50 fighters, George Little, Lockheed Martin, Obama suspends delivery of F-16s to post-Morsi Egypt