McCain: Congress should review aid cutoff to Egypt if violence erupts

Sen. John McCain (Ariz.), an influential Republican voice on foreign policy, said Sunday that Congress would have to consider cutting off aid to Egypt if the country descends into violence.

{mosads}McCain warned that violence could explode in the largest Arab nation because of a threatened crackdown by military leaders against the supporters of deposed President Mohamed Morsi.

“If they go ahead and crack down in a violent way. I’m afraid the Congress of the United States would have to consider carefully the elimination of aid,” McCain said on “Fox News Sunday.”

Egyptian military authorities have warned supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood, Morsi’s party, to clear the streets or face consequences.

The Brotherhood has called for “Victory Day” rallies in public squares Sunday to support Morsi.

“The fact is that it was a coup and now they have jailed the leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood and the previous government. And that is not the way to bring about reconciliation,” McCain said of the military rulers.

The Obama administration has refused to call the change of power in Egypt a coup in part because that would force the administration to reconsider aide to the country, which has historically been an important ally.

McCain said Egyptians no longer appreciate U.S. support.

“It’s not just money and aide. It’s economy, it’s tourism, it’s our relationship, it’s their legitimacy in the world and a lot of other things and I’m afraid that they’re not appreciative of it while they’re demonizing the united states of America in the streets,” he said.

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