Egypt’s top military council has given newly promoted army chief, Field Marshal Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, a green light to run for president, a security source told Reuters.<br /><br />“The top army officials all okayed Sisi running for the presidency,” said the source. Sisi is expected to announce his<br />candidacy within days.<br /><br />Sisi, who toppled Islamist president Mohamed Mursi last year only decided to run for president recently following growing pressure from the street from those who reject the Islamist<br />government he overthrew.<br /><br />The announcement comes after 49 people were killed in weekend clashes on the third anniversary of the uprising that saw Hosni Mubarak deposed.<br /><br />Many people in the streets showed their support for Egypt’s new military strongman. <br /><br />But despite his present popularity, Sisi has no record as a democrat .. and has shown himself willing to use deadly force against those who disagree with him.<br /><br />Many Egyptians hold Sisi responsible for the deaths of hundreds of Mursi supporters killed in a crackdown on his Muslim Brotherhood movement. Others see him as the kind of strong man needed to restore stability after three years of turmoil.
