From VOA Learning English, this is In the News.

Egypt is criticizing an American decision to cancel hundreds of millions

 of dollars in aid to the country.

 An Egyptian Foreign Ministry official says the decision is wrong. 

He says his country is prepared to carry out what he called 

a political road map, 

which includes plans for elections next year.

The Obama administration said this week it was suspending the delivery of major 

weapons to Egypt because of delays in progress toward an inclusive government.

The decision followed an investigation of events since the Egyptian military

 ousted President Mohamed Morsi three months ago. 

President Obama has also decided to suspend $260 million in assistance 

to the government that followed the ouster.

Mr. Obama has said there can be no business as usual following

 the overthrow of Mr. Morsi. American officials say this suspension

 is a way of expressing that point. 

But it is far from a complete break in American assistance.

The United States will continue to support programs 

that it says directly help the Egyptian people.

 It will also continue financing programs that support what

 it calls “vital security objectives.” 

These include help aimed at securing Egypt’s borders.

Jonathan Broder is with Congressional Quarterly,

 a publication that reports on American politics.

 He says Mr. Obama has been under pressure for not taking stronger steps 

after the ouster of Egypt’s democratically-elected leader.

“There is the image that President Obama wants to present to the world 

as someone who stands up for human rights and for democracy.

 And the images of Egyptian soldiers killing protesters

 on the streets of Cairo is a very negative one in the United States.

 And there’s pressure on him from human rights organizations 

and from some in Congress to suspend the aid.”

American officials say Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel discussed

 the move in a telephone call on Wednesday with Egypt’s Defense

 Minister Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. During the call,

 the two men were said to have re-stated the importance of their countries’

 relations in guaranteeing Middle East security.

Since July, the Egyptian military has led a campaign against suspected

 militants and supporters of Mr. Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood.

 At least 1,000 people have been killed. Most were Islamists.

In recent days, more violence was reported,

 with attacks on security forces and clashes between 

protesters and police. 

Some Egyptians predict the unrest will only lead to 

increased use of military force.

Emad Shahin is a public policy professor with

 The American University in Cairo.

 He thinks military leaders are preparing for a final

 battle with their long-time enemies.

“They think that the plan by which they managed to charge,

 to mobilize the anger of the people against Morsi’s rule

 and administration and so on,

 has gained a momentum and it is really time to break down the Islamists.”

For now, many Egyptians are still supporting

 the military against its opponents.

 But there are questions of how long that can last.

Mustafa Labbad is director of the Al Sharq Center

 for Regional and Strategic Studies.

“After a while you have to solve your social and economic problems.

 And it wouldn’t matter if you are wearing a uniform or casual wear. 

If you are in power, you have to solve these problems.”

Observers say repression against one group may be possible.

 But attempting to suppress a larger movement will prove difficult.

And that’s In the Newsfrom VOA Learning English.

 I’m George Grow.