DOD: ‘There will be adjustments’ to US-Egyptian military ties

Warren declined to comment on what specific adjustments department or administration officials are eyeing, in the wake of continued violence between protesters and government forces. 

{mosads}President Obama has already canceled deliveries of F-16 fighters to the North African country, as well as a large-scale military exercise between American and Egyptian forces, known as Bright Star, in response to the ongoing violence. 

The annual military drill would have involved hundreds of U.S. ground troops, as well as American warplanes and ships, working in tandem with the Egyptian military and other regional allies. 

On Thursday, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel told Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Sisi directly that his military’s attacks on Egyptian civilians are putting the country’s ties to the U.S. military “at risk.” 

Hagel’s warning was the first time the two top military leaders have spoken since Egyptian troops flushed out supporters of former Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi from their camps in Cairo and elsewhere on Wednesday. 

The clashes between pro-Morsi protesters and military troops ended with more than 500 killed in the ensuing melees. 

Morsi, the nation’s first freely elected president, and his Muslim Brotherhood government were forced out of power on July 3.

On Friday, Morsi backers launched another series of mass protests, dubbed by Muslim Brotherhood backers as a “day of rage” against interim Egyptian government, led by al-Sisi and the military.  

National security adviser Susan Rice briefed Obama on the latest wave of protests, as tens of thousands of Morsi backers flooded the streets of Cairo in defiance of the state of emergency implemented by the country’s interim government. 

That said, Warren did note Hagel would continue efforts to reach out to al-Sisi and his cohorts in the military to move the country into an “inclusive” permanent government. 

Despite ongoing violence in the country, Pentagon chief and Obama White House “are committed to seeing this through,” Warren added.