U.S. to Suspend Most Financial Aid to Egypt
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The Obama administration is set to suspend most financial assistance to Egypt, except aid targeted for counter-terrorism operations and the defense of Israel, in an announcement expected as early as Friday, U.S. officials said.
The U.S. decision, while not a full aid cutoff, is likely to further strain Washington’s relations with Cairo’s military-backed government, as well as the Arab states that have showered Egypt with billions of dollars of new economic aid in recent months.
Egypt’s military overthrew President Mohammed Morsi in July and has launched a broad crackdown on his Islamist Muslim Brotherhood.
President Barack Obama refrained from condemning the coup d’état against Mr. Morsi. But his administration has pushed in vain for Egypt’s new government to quickly write a new constitution and to prepare the country for new legislative elections.
Officials said it is unclear how much assistance will still be provided to Egypt under the new approach.
The goal of the decision is to suspend deliveries of military hardware that the Egyptian military could use against protesters without compromising counterterrorism efforts, U.S. officials said.
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