Kerry Condemns Egyptian Military's Crackdown Egypt Cracks Down on Sit-Ins: Footage from Nile TV show the scene at Nahda Square in Cairo. Dozens were reportedly killed as security forces stormed the area occupied by supporters of the ousted president, Mohamed Morsi. EDGARTOWN, Mass. - Secretary of State John Kerry on Wednesday condemned the Egyptian military's crackdown on Muslim Brotherhood protesters, saying that "the only sustainable path for either side is one toward a political solution." "I am convinced that that path is in fact still open," Mr. Kerry said in a midday appearance at the State Department, although he said the bloodshed of the last 24 hours had made it far more difficult. "This is a pivotal moment for all Egyptians," he said. Mr. Kerry, who was speaking on behalf of a vacationing President Obama, did not disclose any specific American response to the crackdown and left without taking questions from reporters. For Mr. Obama, who was wrapping up a round of golf on Martha's Vineyard as Mr. Kerry stepped before the cameras, the upheaval in Egypt put him in an awkward but familiar place: on vacation, confronting a wave of bloodshed in the Middle East. Earlier, the White House condemned the violence and said the United States "strongly opposed" the imposition of a state of emergency by the military-backed government. A spokesman, Josh Earnest, said Mr. Obama had been briefed Wednesday morning on the situation in Egypt by his national security adviser, Susan E. Rice. After his briefing, however, the president stuck to his usual routine. He left his rented house on Martha's Vineyard for his third round of golf since he arrived here on Saturday. There was no word on whether he planned to make a public statement or otherwise alter his plans. Mr. Earnest, speaking to reporters, said, "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've urged protesters to demonstrate peacefully." He said, however, that the administration did not plan to shift its policy, which is to keep open lines of communication to Egypt's generals and maintain the flow of American military aid. Mr. Earnest declined to label the military's ouster of President Mohamed Morsi a coup, a designation that could prompt a cutoff of $1.5 billion a year in aid. The White House's reaction came as the top American military commander, Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, told reporters in Amman, Jordan, that he had not yet spoken with his Egyptian counterparts. Pentagon officials said the Egyptian authorities had given them no official notification that their move to clear the pro-Morsi demonstrators was under way, despite reports in recent weeks that Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has spoken frequently with Egypt's top army commander, Gen. Abdul-Fattah el-Sisi. Asked by reporters what he planned to say to Egyptian military leaders, General Dempsey said, "It's really the same message: The path forward for Egypt that will allow us to maintain our close military relationship and allow them to achieve their goals is the commitment to a road map, keeping violence levels as low as possible." "That's a challenge of course," he added. Condemnations of the military's crackdown flowed in from governments around the world. Although reports from Cairo had indicated that military and law enforcement authorities would take action against protesters as early as Monday, harrowing images and reports of dozens or perhaps even hundreds of deaths left foreign leaders in shock. "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," Mr. Earnest said. The United States has walked a fine line in dealing with the Egyptian military, repeatedly pleading with the generals to avoid violence and release Mr. Morsi from detention, but stopping short of suspending military and other aid to the country. "We are continuing to review our posture and our assistance to the Egyptians," Mr. Earnest said. Thom Shanker contributed reporting from Amman, Jordan.