21 April 2014
Source: Middle East Monitor
Day after day, and as the date of the presidential elections in Egypt
approaches, power struggle within the Egyptian military establishment
intensifies. According to information circulating at the highest levels
in Cairo, conflict is increasing and is intensifying within the Egyptian
military establishment so much so that it has now become a major source
of concern for Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates who fear that
such power struggle may lead to a coup against Abd Al-Fattah Al-Sisi
once he becomes president.
A source close to the Egyptian army top command has told Asrar Arabiyah
website that the power struggle happens to be over the position of the
defence minister. Al-Sisi finds himself in a critical position having
immunised the position of the Defence Minister in the constitution lest
he failed to become President. But now, and since he is very close to
become President, he fears the man holding that immunised position (of
defence minister), Sidqi Subhi. The source says that Al-Sisi has
endeavoured to keep to himself both the position of President and the
position of Defence Minister. Yet, a strong current within the army,
headed by Sidqi Subhi, refused (to allow this) and thwarted it. This was
the reason why announcing Al-Sisi's nomination for the presidential
elections was delayed. When Al-Sisi failed to keep both positions he
tried to favour his own relative and close friend General Mahmoud Hijazi
with the position (of Defence Minister). But he failed too and a deal
was struck according to which Mahmoud Hijazi was appointed Chief of
Staff while Sidqi was appointed Minister of Defence. However, the source
affirms that the battle is far from over. Al-Sisi is still trying to
unseat Sidqi from the Ministry of Defence in the hope of replacing him
with Hijazi although the constitution does not grant him that right.
There is widespread belief that this file will top his agenda once he
becomes President of Egypt.
It is worth noting that General
Mahmoud Hijazi was an obscure army officer until he was promoted by
Al-Sisi to become Director of Military Intelligence and then Chief of
Staff. Although, according to some sources, Hijazi's appointment as
Chief of Staff was part of a deal that included the appointment of Sidqi
Subhi as Minister of Defence, the latter realises that Al-Sisi will
continue after he assumes the presidency his endeavour to remove Subhi
from the Defence Ministry so as to turn it over to his own perfectly
loyal associate Jijazi.
Sidqi Subhi represents a wide trend within the top army command
and enjoys within the security agencies the support of the former
Director of General Intelligence Brig. Murad Muwafi who was previously
rumoured to have wanted to stand for the presidency in the upcoming
elections but eventually withdrew from the battle a few days ago.
This power struggle represents one of the fiercest bone breaking
battles facing Al-Sisi. It was also one of the reasons why his
nomination for the presidency was delayed because he was looking for a
solution to (the problem arising from his loss of) the position he had
immunised and rendered the most important of all positions in Egypt but
had eventually to abandon so as to become President of Egypt.
Source: Asrar Arabiya
Link: .middleeastmonitor.com/news/africa/11012-the-power-struggle-within-the-egyptian-army-heading-toward-crisis.
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