Tantawi: Egypt ready to do battle

[The SC]

Speaking at military drill, top Egyptian leader warns regional countries; 'We will cut out the tongues of anyone who turns against our forces, peace is not assured,' he says

The Head of Egypt's Military Council, Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, sent a menacing message to countries in the region, saying that his country is ready for war.

"God willing we will cut out the tongues of anyone who turns against our forces and troops," Tantawi said a week before Egypt heads to the polls once again, this time for the presidential elections.

Tantawi did not mention Israel explicitly but stressed: "Peace is not assured, as when the interests contradict each other, there is a state that is weaker than the other and turns to attack, so we need to be ready to do battle."

Egyptian media on Wednesday were reporting from the military drill, which was held in the area between Cairo and Suez and included the use of live fire.


'Model for world'

As for next week's elections, Tantawi said "Egypt's elections will be a model for the world for the free and fair will of the people."

"I call on the Egyptian people to take up their national responsibility during the presidential elections to choose a president for Egypt," he said.

Voting starts on May 23 and 24 and the army has pledged to hand power to the new president by July 1. It insists it is not siding with any candidate.

But many Egyptians believe it will remain an influential player behind the scenes for years to come and may seek to influence the vote.

The two leading candidates held their first televised debate last week. Facing off for more than four hours in a show broadcast on two privately owned television networks, Amr Moussa and Abdel Moneim Abol Fotouh sought to trip each other up on questions ranging from their perspective on Islamic sharia law to their views on Israel. They repeatedly accused each other of distorting the facts.

Both pledged to review Egypt's 1979 peace treaty with Israel, a country Abol Fotouh described as an enemy and Moussa called an adversary.

 

[Arabian Legend]

egypt is coming back to play its strategic rule in the region
welcome back egypt

 

[Developereo]

Egypt should focus on building up its internal strengths and deepening external alliances before talking of battle with anybody. Even better, they should learn the art of accomplishing objectives without themselves going to battle at all.

Israel and the West are absolute masters of exploiting regional divisions to suit their own ends. If any such loose ends are left untied, they will become Egypt's Achilles' heel in any conflict.

 

[The SC]

That is true, but Egypt is smart and knows the game, now with the MB in office it will closely match turkey in progress by self reliance.
If Field marshal Tantawi said these words, he certainly knows that some foreign entities won't be happy with a progressive Egypt, It is just too powerful to play games with, and more powerful at that now, with the Egyptian youth having a wise saying, one can call them the basij force of Egypt, and they count in the tens of millions, ready to take Egypt to new never before achieved heights, by their self confidence and self reliance, Not to mention the highly professional and dedicated army and the rest of the Egyptians highly motivated by breathing the new air of true democracy.

 

[BLACKEAGLE]

Egypt is back...

 

[kawaraj]

this is like a cycle, benevolent or vicious, it's pushing for the role of Egypt. I say it's positive and a headache of Israel these days.

 

[Surenas]

I don't think Egypt is waiting for another 1967 or 1973. Empty threats. Israel is military superior to any of their neighbors.

 

[Pakistanisage]

So far, the only battle Egyptian Armed Forces have been fighting is their battle against the Democratic Forces of Egypt. Egyptian Armed Forces have to relinquish Power to the Democratically elected Executive and Legislative Branches of the Government. Unless they are willing to do that, Egypt would remain to be under the claws of Military Junta and this facade of a SHAM DEMOCRACY would hurt Egypt's reputation.

 

[Shinigami]

egypt still commands one of the most formidable military in the ME, enough to give Israel a hard time

 

[Surenas]

egypt still commands one of the most formidable military in the ME, enough to give Israel a hard time

But not an existential threat. Egypt is no match for Israel.

 

[Juice]

When I was on Bright Star, we were at a airbase south of Alexandria. There was a Bear still on the runway, when the Airforce wanted to remove it, Saddat told them to leave it there to remind them not to get caught with their pants around their ankles again. That said, Egypt is probably the only Muslim nation to really give the Isrealis pause (not beat them though). With their new equipment, it would be very ugly. We should all hope it doesn't come to that. (had to thank the photo above, a column of M1's still gets my heart beating)

 

[Alphacharlie]

When I was on Bright Star, we were at a airbase south of Alexandria. There was a Bear still on the runway, when the Airforce wanted to remove it, Saddat told them to leave it there to remind them not to get caught with their pants around their ankles again. That said, Egypt is probably the only Muslim nation to really give the Isrealis pause (not beat them though). With their new equipment, it would be very ugly. We should all hope it doesn't come to that. (had to thank the photo above, a column of M1's still gets my heart beating)

Whatever Said and Done.... I still consider many acts of Housni Mubarak were steps to bring peace and prosperity. He was a visionary with specs of eccentricity.

Seeing comments above makes me realise again - Also, many human civilizations have Warrior spirit in them due to their History who Dont understand language of Peace or Tolerance rather Word of Sword of Many Nations in list it Does include Egypt as well.

 

[clmeta]

For a moment I thought you were talking about Pakistan.

So far, the only battle Egyptian Armed Forces have been fighting is their battle against the Democratic Forces of Egypt. Egyptian Armed Forces have to relinquish Power to the Democratically elected Executive and Legislative Branches of the Government. Unless they are willing to do that, Egypt would remain to be under the claws of Military Junta and this facade of a SHAM DEMOCRACY would hurt Egypt's reputation.

 

[asad71]

1.Egypt is an old civilization, a cradle of civilization. What Mohammed Ali Pasha had begun was completed by Nasser who brought in the Soviets to build the Aswan and equip the mily. Sadat brought in the Americans literally throwing out the Soviets. We now see emergence of the Muslim Brotherhood who see the Zionists and the Americans as the main foe.

2. Egypt has always been a vital cultural force in Islam. The Arabic literature is dominated by Egyptians. Arabs all over the world would leave everything to listen to Umme Kulsum in the 1950s to 70s. Above all the Al Azhar University has been a constant guide to Muslim thinkers through the centuries.

 

[Desert Fox]

When I was on Bright Star, we were at a airbase south of Alexandria. There was a Bear still on the runway, when the Airforce wanted to remove it, Saddat told them to leave it there to remind them not to get caught with their pants around their ankles again. That said, Egypt is probably the only Muslim nation to really give the Isrealis pause (not beat them though). With their new equipment, it would be very ugly. We should all hope it doesn't come to that. (had to thank the photo above, a column of M1's still gets my heart beating)

Their M1's are the only Tanks capable of truly taking on the israelis, and God forbid those get taken out or they run out of major supply parts (which is very likely since they only produce 40% of the Tank in house), their reserve Tanks wouldn't stand a chance against israeli armor not to mention israel would have the unconditional support of the US and major European countries.

Majority of Egyptian armed forces uses American equipment, in any event of a conflict with israel, having American weapons as a large portion of your arsenal is certainly not an advantage.