Egypt Violence Upsets White House Policy

Published August 14, 2013 at 12:06 PM EDT

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Supporters of ousted Islamist President Mohammed Morsi, stand among debris and smoke in background as they confront Egyptian security forces trying to clear the smaller of the two sit-ins, near the Cairo University campus in Giza, Cairo, Egypt, Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2013. (Imad Abdul Rahman/AP)

As the death toll mounts today in Egypt, it also upends the Obama administration’s delicate balance on the Egyptian crisis.

The White House has steadfastly refused to call the Egyptian army’s ouster and arrest of former President Mohammed Morsi a coup.

At the same time, the administration has urged the Egyptian military to move forward quickly with constitutional reform and free elections.

But that balancing act has to deal with a new shock today, as Egyptian forces storm two camps where supporters of former president had been holding peaceful sit-ins.

Guest

Michael Wahid Hanna, senior fellow at The Century Foundation. He tweets @mwhanna1.