US to deliver fighter jets to Egypt

WASHINGTON — The US is moving ahead with plans to deliver four F-16s to Egypt despite the ongoing debate about the military's overthrow of President Mohammed Morsi and whether it legally constitutes a coup that could shut off aid to the country.

Defense officials say senior administration leaders discussed the delivery and decided to let it continue. The fighters are part of a $1.3 billion package approved in 2010 that included 20 F-16s and some M1A1 Abrams tank kits. About half of the aid package has been dispersed, officials said.

Eight of the F-16s were delivered in January, the next four are expected to be delivered in the coming weeks and the final eight will be sent later this year.

News of the impending weapons delivery to the Egyptian military came as the administration continued to make the case that it is staying neutral in the crisis.

The White House and State Department reiterated the view Wednesday that it would not be in the United States' national security interests to interrupt US aid to Egypt, including to the armed forces, as would be required by law if Morsi's ouster is determined to have been a coup.

"We do not believe it is in the best interests of the United States to make immediate changes to our assistance programs," White House press secretary Jay Carney told reporters, adding that the administration is going to take its time to make any determinations about the removal of Morsi from power.

At the State Department, spokeswoman Jen Psaki noted that aid to Egypt "has been around for quite some time and has a range of reasons as to why we do it."

The comments come after a week of violence and widespread demonstrations and as Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and other US leaders make repeated calls to their counterparts in Egypt urging an end to the violence and a quick transition to a civilian government. Hagel has spoken to Egypt's defense minister, Gen. Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, eight times in the last nine days, with one phone call lasting as long as 45 minutes.

US officials have expressed satisfaction with the military-backed interim government's plans to restore democratically elected civilian leaders.

Islamist members of Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood movement have denounced the ouster and have demanded Morsi's release from detention and reinstatement.

The Islamists have accused Egyptian troops of gunning down protesters, while the military blamed armed backers of Morsi for attempting to storm a military building.