Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi made waves on Sunday by ordering the removal of several figures in Egypt's military and revoking a military-declared constitutional amendment that had granted the military far reaching powers over the country.

 

In one day, Morsi ordered the firing of Field Marshall Hussein Tantawi, the leader of the 23-member Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) and the retirement of Army Chief of Staff General Sami Anan.

Morsi also ordered the retirement of the commanders of the navy, air defense and air force.

In addition, Morsi canceled the military-declared constitutional amendments that granted the top generals wide powers previously reserved for the head of state.

"The president has decided to annul the constitutional declaration adopted on June 17 by the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, which took power last year from ousted president Hosni Mubarak," Morsi spokesman Yasser Ali said in a statement carried on state television.