Kerry Reiterates Calls for Reform and Says Premature to Withdraw Aid to Egypt

In an interview with CNN Friday night, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee John Kerry, responded to a question on whether the U.S. should consider cutting off or suspending aid to Egypt, saying, “There are a lot of things before we get to that. We obviously have a lot of tools. But the important thing here is to try to build on what happened in Tunisia in a way that restores a sense of future and possibilities of the region.” He called on Mubarak to check his son, Gamal Mubarak‘s political ambitions and reiterated U.S. support for democratic ambitions. When asked about his concerns that the outcome of protests may lead to instability or an anti-American regime, Kerry responded by saying, “Look, we have to take those lumps as they come. And sometimes you literally have to just let the chips fall where they may. I really feel strongly that under the right circumstances this could be a peaceful and positive transformation, notwithstanding the presence of extremists like the Muslim brotherhood and others…The key to that is going to be how President Mubarak chooses to empower the people ” He stated that it is his personal belief that protests are the outcome of the rigged and illegitimate elections which took place last November.