White house welcomes military change in Egypt

The White House welcomed Monday news of a new leadership in the Egyptian army and said it looked forward to working with Egypt’s new Defense Minister. Egyptian President made sweeping changes yesterday Sunday when he asked former Minister of Defense Mohammed Hussein Tantawy and Chief of Staff Sami Annan to retire. He then placed the youngest member of the Supreme Council of Armed Forces, Lieutenant General Abdul Fatah al-Sessi, as the new Defense Minister. Spokesman For US President Barack Obama Jay Carney said today that the US administration hopes that Morsi’s military shake-up will serve the benefit of Egypt and “maintain good relations with Egypt’s neighbors.” The change in the Egyptian military came after 16 Egyptian soldiers were killed in what the Egyptian government labeled a terrorist attack. Chief of Egyptian Intelligence Mamdouh Mowafi was also ousted as a result.