| Lt.General
Sa`d al-Diyn al-Shazliyhas been called the "single
most important figure in the Egyptian Armed Forces." As Chief of
Staff, he was the chief architect of the successful crossing of the Suez
Canal and the capture of the once impregnable bar-Lev line, al-Shazliy
is regarded in the Arab world as a hero.
General
al-Shazliy's military credentials
are impeccable. he founded the paratroopers in Egypt in 1954 and was Commander
of the first paratrooper battalion in the Egyptian Army. He was Commander
of the United Arab forces in the Congo (1960-61); Defense Attaché
in London (1961-63); Commander of the Special forces (1967-1969); Commander
of the Red Sea District (1970-71); and on May 16, 1971 he was appointed
Chief of Staff of the Egyptian Armed Forces, a post he held until December
12,1973.
General
al-Shazliy has fought in six wars and hold
masters degree in both military science and political science. He has studied
military tactics in both the United States and the former Soviet Union.
In 1973, at the pinnacle of his military career,
General
al-Shazliywas removed from military service by the late
President 'Anwar al-Sadat and was appointed
as Ambassador to Great Britain and later as Ambassador to Portugal.
In 1978 General al-Shazliypredicted the inevitable failure
of the Camp David agreement and publicly opposed it. he sharply criticized
the Sadat regime as autocratic and as a result was
dismissed from the Diplomatic post and forced into exile . There he wrote
this account. During the rule of Sadat
he was
considered a powerful voice in Mideast politics and a formidable opponent
of Sadat himself.
Today he heads the Egyptian National
Front - a political coalition- dedicated to bringing a democratic government
to Egypt.
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