Egypt's President Mohammed Morsi ordered the retirement of the Defense Minister Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi and chief of staff Gen. Sami Annan on Sunday and appointed them as special advisors to the President, AP reported. Morsi awarded them two of the country's highest honors. The president also ordered the retirement of the commanders of the navy, air defense and air force, but named two of them to senior positions. He appointed a senior judge, Mahmoud Makki, as Vice President. Presidential spokesman Yasser Ali told a news conference aired on state TV that Morsi named a career army officer, Lt. Gen. Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi, to replace Tantawi and Lt. Gen. Sidky Sayed Ahmed to replace Annan. El-Sisi and Makki were sworn in shortly after the announcement. The outgoing navy commander, Lt. Gen. Mohab Mameesh, was named executive chairman of the Suez Canal. Lt. Gen. Abdel-Aziz Seif, the outgoing air defense commander, was named head of a major industrial military complex owned by several Arab nations and established in the 1970s. A senior member of the SCAF, Maj. Gen. Mohammed el-Assar, was named Assistant Defense Minister. Another career army officer, Lt. Gen. Reda Mahmoud Hafez, was named Minister of State for Military Production to serve under Prime Minister Hesham Gindeel. -- SPA
