The "Bright Star" joint military exercises with Egypt have been cancelled says President Obama. Speaking on the leathal crackdown on demonstrators that took place in Egypt this week, Obama said, "Our traditional cooperation cannot continue as usual when civilians are being killed in the streets."

The “Bright Star” exercises are bi-annual joint military training exercises that take place every two years and have grown since their beginnings in 1980 out of the Camp David Accords. From smaller beginnings, they now at times include as many as 11 countries and 70,000 military personnel. This year, the operation was to take place in mid-September.

President Obama interupted his week-long vaction in Martha’s Vineyards to address the spiraling violence in Egypt. The President’s remarks on Egypt came one day after the White House Principal Deputy Press Secretary Josh Ernest released a statement addressing the violence in Egypt.

That statement read:

“The United States strongly condemns the use of violence against protesters in Egypt. We extend our condolences to the families of those who have been killed, and to the injured. We have repeatedly called on the Egyptian military and security forces to show restraint, and for the government to respect the universal rights of its citizens, just as we have urged protesters to demonstrate peacefully.”

“Violence will only make it more difficult to move Egypt forward on a path to lasting stability and democracy, and runs directly counter to the pledges by the interim government to pursue reconciliation. We also strongly oppose a return to a State of Emergency law, and call on the government to respect basic human rights such as freedom of peaceful assembly, and due process under the law. The world is watching what is happening in Cairo. We urge the government of Egypt – and all parties in Egypt – to refrain from violence and resolve their differences peacefully.”

On Wednesday, Egypt’s military moved to quell the protests in Cairo. It is reported by Egypt’s Health Ministry that as many as 500 protesters were killed during that crack-down. The Muslim Brotherhood puts the slaughter in the thousands.

In his statement at Martha’s Vineyard, Obama stopped short of cancelling the $1.3 billion in military aid sent to Egypt annually.

Renewed protests began again on Thursday. Government offices were attacked by pro-Morsi protesters in Giza, the location of the famed pyramids and more pro-Morsi protesters gathered at camps in Cairo.