providing this type of aid since 1979, when it became the first arab state to sign a peace deal with rael. >> there were no leverages from the u.s. to keep everything in check, probably the military would have been in a whole now. >> reporter: some egyptian opposition leaders say this is a case where u.s. foreign military sales actually worked, empowering the egyptian military to stand up to morsi and the muslim brotherhood. >> it is definitely a good thing. this military is unified, in one place, it has not been infiltrated by islamists, and a number of the muslim brotherhood in it probably very minute at this stage. >> reporter: not everyone agrees it has worked. >> we are not going to exercise leverage over the egyptian government, why is the american government unable to do that in the past. >> reporter: the aid to the military gives the u.s. leverage as it seeks to prevent martial law. if there's a coup, legally the u.s. must freeze aid to egypt. egypt's generals know this, apparently so does morsi, who says he has no plans to step down, shannon. >> jennifer, thank you very much. >>>