Monday was the scene of more bloodshed in Egypt after 51 were killed and hundreds more were wounded outside of a military facility in Cairo. There is no indication as to what set off the deadly confrontation. The army there blames the retaliation on a terrorist attack, while demonstrators blame the army for the bloodletting. Amid the violence, the U.S. is still adamant that a coup has not taken place.

The violence began as morning prayers were coming to a close early Monday. A Muslim Brotherhood spokesman called the confrontation a “massacre,” while the army said that they came under attack by “terrorists.” Each side had supporting video. An amateur video aired on Al-Jazeera showed a half a dozen peaceful demonstrators shot by military, while Egyptian state tv showed army personnel being pelted with rocks and other objects. Gunfire could be heard in the background.

In the violence, the vast majority of those killed and injured were protesters. Of the fifty-one killed, only one was military personnel. Clinic doctors in Cairo have treated over one hundred gunshot victims and at least another 400 more for serious injuries.

As the violence continues to escalate, many of the Islamic groups that initially supported an interim government until an election could take place, have now said that they are pulling out of that interim government. Some parties are now even calling for re-instatement of Mohamed Morsi as president.

The army announced a takeover of the Egyptian government and a suspension of that country’s constitution after hundreds of thousands of protesters took to the streets demanding that Morsi step down. Those earlier protests were peaceful compared to the violence that has broken out since the military took over and appointed a new interim president.

Although the world is characterizing the takeover of Egypt as a miltary coup, the United States continues to deny that it is. Doing so would jeopardize funding for the Egyptian military as it is banned by law for the U.S. to support any country that the military has taken over in a coup and has disposed of a democratically elected government. At risk is the suspension of all non-humanitarian aid which includes $1.3 billion in military aid.

The rising violence in that country, and in particular the events that unfolded today, is going to make the non-coup stance in the White House administration more and more difficult to defend however.

Some members of congress are calling for a halt to funding to Egypt in light of the events there. White House spokesman Jay Carney called the situation in Egypt a complex and difficult situation but also stated that it would not be in the best interests of the United States to change the assistance programs provided for that country.

Senator John McCain, the Republican senator from Arizona call for a suspension of aid to Egypt on CBS “Face the Nation” on Sunday. Although he did not support aid that was already in the “pipeline” to that country, he said suspension of subsequent aid should take place until Egypt has a new constitution and a democratically elected president is placed.

Democrat Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Bob Menendez told “Meet the Press” that aid to Egypt should be paused until the country moves back to civilian rule.

At stake, if the U.S. suspends aid, is the sale of 1,200 Abrams tanks to that country, parts of which are manufactured in Egypt while the rest is produced in the U.S. by General Dynamics and shipped to Egypt. Overflights of Egypt would also be put at risk as well as pre-positioning priviledges at Cairo’s airport.