(CNN) — Mohammed Hussein Tantawi is Egypt’s deputy prime minister, defense minister and commander-in-chief of the country’s armed forces. In the West, little is known about him, or how he intends to lead the Egyptian military, now that it’s in charge of the government.
Former U.S. Defense Secretary William Cohen knows Tantawi and worked with him at the Pentagon.
Tantawi, who holds the title “field marshal,” received his first military commission in 1956, He was born on October 31, 1935, and fought in Egypt’s 1956 war against Britain, France and Israel. He also served during Egypt’s conflicts with Israel in 1967 and 1973.
Tantawi was only recently made deputy prime minister. Former President Hosni Mubarak appointed him to the position during the early days of the protest movement that eventually forced Mubarak from power.
Since 1991, Tantawi has held the position of defense minister, wielding near-exclusive decision-making power within the ministry.
