Mixed views on Morsi's Cabinet moves

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CAIRO, Aug. 13 (UPI) -- Supporters of the former ruling military class in Egypt expressed concern about sweeping Cabinet reforms announced by the country's new president.

Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi ordered Defense Minister Hussein Tantawi, leader of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, and Chief of Staff Sami Anan into retirement. Gen. Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi was sworn in as defense minister, taking a position Tantawi held since the 1990s.

Supporters of SCAF, which took control over the government following last year's revolution, protested in front of the Ministry of Defense, chanting slogans in opposition to the Muslim Brotherhood, the Egyptian Independent reports.

Morsi resigned as chairman of the Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party when he was declared winner of the presidential election in June.

Protesters gathered at the Defense Ministry were quoted by the news agency as saying they were worried post-revolution Egypt was headed toward a government like Iran's, were leading religious figures make key political decisions.

Mohammed ElBaradei, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate and political opposition figure, however, said it was right for Morsi to force the military leaders into retirement, the report adds.

Morsi last weekend issued a constitutional reform measure that consolidated the power of the president.