'Sacked' Egyptian generals honoured with top state medals

Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi today honoured the country's "sacked" Army veterans Hussein Tantawi and Sami Anan with top state medals, two days after sending them into retirement and wresting power from the military. 

 While the military in general has signalled its acceptance of Mursi's sudden announcement, the appearance of Field Marshal Tantawi and his no 2 general Anan to receive the awards also validated their compliance with the changed paradigm.

 The retired Army Chief Tantawi, who was defence minister for two decades under former president Hosni Mubarak, received Egypt's highest state honour, the Nile Medal. The former chief of staff General Anan was honoured with the State Medal. After awarding the them, Mursi also met the two military veterans.

 In a sudden and shocking announcement, Mursi on Sunday ordered Tantawi and Anan to retire, and appointed them presidential advisers. In a major act of retrieving power for the civilian government, Mursi also cancelled a military-drafted constitutional addendum, which put many authorities in military's hands just before he was announced president in June. Tantawi, the outgoing defence minister spent much of yesterday at his office where he received a number of military commanders. Earlier Mursi's spokesman Yasser Ali strongly denied rumours that Tantawi and Anan had been put under house arrest.