In that respect Mehmed Ali's army was different. Two crucial features characterized his officers. Like Napoleon's, they were loyal to their master, owing him allegiance and devotion, and strove to appease him and his family. However, unlike the Emperor's officers, they were not from or of the country they were defending. Being themselves newcomers to Egypt, the officers in Mehmed Ali's army had no roots in the country that they were supposedly fighting for and the ethnic and linguistic differences that separated them from their soldiers made any attempt to convince the soldiers of any nationalistic argument nearly impossible.

Builds on: "Ibrahim reconsidered universal conscription to preserve experienced soldiers."

Khaled Fahmy, All the Pasha_s Men_ Mehmed…, loc. 1367