El-Sissi is the only hope for Egyptians

IF all goes as planned Egypt’s strongman, Field Marshal Abdel Fattah El-Sissi, should announce his candidacy for the presidency in the coming few days. The results, if he does, are predictable. He stands to win at least 70 percent of the votes. Preparations for his historic announcement have been made; the military council gave him a strong mandate more than two weeks ago and the interim president, Adli Mansour, promoted him to the highest military rank. All that the 60-year-old defense minister and deputy prime minister in the transitional government needs to do now is to address the Egyptian people and announce his candidacy.
There are those who believe he shouldn’t hand over his military uniform and remain where he is. They are in the minority. One of them is head of Al-Karama Party and presidential hopeful, Hamdeen Sabahy, who said this week that the commander-in-chief of the armed forces would be better off remaining in his position. Others believe El-Sissi would jeopardize losing his massive popularity in the street if he became president. In their view, Egypt’s complex problems and challenges would defeat any man at this stage.
Still El-Sissi has proved to be a good tactician. His intervention last July, which dethroned President Muhammad Mursi was celebrated by all, except the Muslim Brotherhood and few Islamic parties allied to it. He is considered a national hero in Egypt, being the man who saved the country from the self-serving rule of a terrorist group with a sinister agenda. Few would describe his intervention on July 3 as a military coup. For the majority of people he had responded to the masses who gathered in the streets and squares of Egypt on June 30 calling on Mursi to resign.
In reality not much is known about El- Sissi even though his pictures hang over most of Egypt. He was appointed by Mursi after the latter had dismissed the head of the Supreme Command of the Armed Forces (SCAF) and senior military commanders. Some suspected that he was close to the Muslim Brotherhood and had Islamist leanings. Today such things are never discussed. El-Sissi is considered as the closest example to former Egyptian leader Gamal Abdel Nasser.
His nationalist rhetoric and firm stand against US intervention in Egypt’s internal affairs have emboldened his stance. Last week, he paid an important visit to Moscow where he signed a $3 billion military deal with the Russians, sending a strong message to the Americans who had absolute monopoly over Egypt’s military arsenal for more than three decades. Moreover, El-Sissi appeared as a confident statesman, earning the backing of Vladimir Putin. The Americans were left fuming over Putin’s endorsement.
Internally, El-Sissi has little to worry about. Sabahy’s candidacy does not present a problem. The pro-Nasser candidate has dared the army chief to a public debate, once El-Sissi confirms his candidacy. If El-Sissi accepts, it will be the first time that Egyptians see and hear him as a politician and not as head of the military. He would be tested on his views and programs. He would cease to be a general and must act as a politician.
Sabahy is no longer the only candidate that El-Sissi has to worry about. Late on Sunday, former Chief of Staff Sami Annan, also announced the he was running for president. The retired general is believed to have good relations with the Muslim Brotherhood and the Islamists in general. He would hope to get their vote in the coming presidential elections slated for March.
Observers believe that neither Sabahy nor Annan can tilt the votes in their favor. If El-Sissi decides to run he would defeat any candidate. If he doesn’t then the whole political scene would change. Others would be encouraged to enter the fray, including veteran politician Amr Moussa, former Prime Minister Ahmad Shafiq and maybe moderate Islamist Abdel Mounim Abo El-Futtouh, among others.
But that is an unlikely scenario. The military is perceived to be the only body capable of guiding Egypt through these tough times. El-Sissi said that Egypt is facing threats unseen for more than 250 years. For millions of Egyptians, the army is the only institution that can be trusted. The faceoff with the Muslim Brotherhood and their allies will not end soon and the military is yet to win its war against terrorism in Sinai and other regions.
Optimists believe El-Sissi would offer a compromise with the Islamists after his victory. They believe he is now focusing on a war to salvage Egypt before he turns to mending relations with the rest of the world, including presenting an initiative to accommodate the opposition parties. His success appears to be the only hope for Egypt now. The challenge would be for him to make the transition from a military strongman to a civilian ruler!