It wasn’t a coup — it was a restoration of democracy, said U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, in recent remarks on GEO TV about the Egyptian military’s ouster of President Mohammed Morsi.
If the ouster was declared a coup, the United States would have to stop providing the country $1.3 billion in military aid each year by law. Military experts and politicos fear a cut in aid could lead to further chaos in the country, NBC reported.
Mr. Morsi was toppled from power on July 3, during protests over government grievances that sent millions into the streets.
But just because the military ousted Mr. Morsi, did not mean they launched a takeover, Mr. Kerry said. The soldiers were “restoring democracy,” he said.
“The military was asked to intervene by millions and millions of people, all of whom were afraid of a descendance into chaos, into violence,” he said, on GEO TV. “And the military did not take over, to the best of our judgment so — so far.”
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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