U.S. still plans to send F-16s to Egypt in coming weeks

[The Straight Story]

The United States still plans to go through with the delivery of four F-16 fighter jets to Egypt in the coming weeks, U.S. defense officials told Reuters on Wednesday, even after the Egyptian military's ouster of President Mohamed Mursi.

The disclosure came as Washington treads a careful line, neither welcoming Mursi's removal nor denouncing it as a "coup," saying it needs time to weigh the situation.

A U.S. decision to brand his overthrow a coup would, by U.S. law, require Washington to halt aid to the Egyptian military, which receives the lion's share of the $1.5 billion in annual U.S. assistance to that country.

The jets, which will likely be delivered in August and are built by Lockheed Martin Corp, are part of the annual aid package, a U.S. defense official said.

"There is no current change in the plan to deliver F-16s to the Egyptian military," a second U.S. official told Reuters on condition of anonymity.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/07/11/us-egypt-protests-usa-jets-idUSBRE96A00O20130711

[ArcticFox]

1. U.S. (always) plan(ed) to send F-16s to Egypt in coming weeks

( have no evidence, but lots of suspicion)

The United States (always) plan(ed)to (accomplish) the delivery of four F-16 fighter jets to Egypt in the coming weeks, U.S. defense officials told Reuters on Wednesday, () after the Egyptian military's ouster of President Mohamed Mursi.