Editing Suez Crisis (section)

=== Egyptian ===
In the [[Egyptian Armed Forces]], politics rather than military competence was the main criterion for promotion.<ref name="Varble, Derek, p. 19">{{Harvnb|Varble|2003|p=19}}</ref> The Egyptian commander, Field Marshal [[Abdel Hakim Amer]], was a purely political appointee who owed his position to his close friendship with Nasser. A heavy drinker, he would prove himself grossly incompetent as a general during the Crisis.<ref name="Varble, Derek, p. 19"/> In 1956, the Egyptian military was well equipped with weapons from the Soviet Union such as [[T-34]] and [[IS tank family#IS-3|IS-3]] tanks, [[MiG-15]] fighters, [[Ilyushin Il-28]] bombers, [[SU-100]] self-propelled guns and assault rifles.<ref name="Varble, Derek, p. 19"/>

Rigid lines between officers and men in the Egyptian Army led to a mutual "mistrust and contempt" between officers and the men who served under them.<ref name="Varble, Derek, p. 20">{{Harvnb|Varble|2003|p=20}}</ref> Egyptian troops were excellent in defensive operations, but had little capacity for offensive operations, owing to the lack of "rapport and effective small-unit leadership".<ref name="Varble, Derek, p. 20"/>