Turkey: Military chiefs 'resign en masse'

[dipsydoodle]

Source: BBC News

The chief of the Turkish armed forces has resigned, along with the heads of the army, navy and air force, according to the state-run Anatolia news agency.

The reason for the resignations of Gen Isik Kosaner and the other heads remains unclear.

There has been a history of tension between the secularist military and the government of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan in recent years.

Gen Kosaner is reported to have met Mr Erdogan several times in recent days.

Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-14346325

[Ghost Dog]

1. controversy over the appointment of generals

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan earlier ruled out any prospects of tension between the government and the military at a Supreme Military Council (YAŞ) meeting slated for Monday, saying that the decisions to be made at the meeting will be in accordance with the law.

Last August, Turkey witnessed tensions between the military and the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government when the General Staff attempted to promote a number of generals and admirals standing trial in criminal cases. The government resisted the move and the individuals were eventually not promoted.

YAŞ meets each August to discuss promotions and dismissals within the armed forces. The fact that there are some commanders and military officers who are suspects in ongoing coup cases has led some to speculate that there could be disagreement between the military and the government about the promotion of these individuals. The ruling AK Party had earlier signaled that it would not give the green light for the promotions of these individuals at the YAŞ meeting.

Currently there are 195 suspects, all retired and active duty members of the armed forces, in the ongoing case of Sledgehammer, a suspected coup plan devised at a military gathering in 2003 that allegedly sought to undermine the government in order to lay the groundwork for a military takeover. More senior military personnel have recently been arrested and jailed on charges of links to the subversive coup plan. The government plans to prevent the promotion of 41 Sledgehammer suspects who are active TSK members.

/... http://www.todayszaman.com/news-252129-turkish-chief-of-general-staff-top-commanders-resign-amid-controversy.html

[Poll_Blind]

2. Senior military members were accused of plotting a coup dating from 2003

Friction between the government and military has been fuelled by an ongoing trial targeting dozens of senior military officers accused of plotting to overthrow the government.

The so-called "Sledgehammer" case arose from an alleged coup plan, presented at an army seminar in 2003.

Learn more: Sledgehammer Coup Plot

PB

[BadtotheboneBob]

3. Wouldn't be the first time...

... Four times since 1960. The Turkish military has always considered itself the guardian of secularity in Turkey and I believe that they are uneasy with the Turkish government's current leaning toward a more Islamist position. The government appears to have preemptively 'fired' the heads of all the services in an attempt to stave off a coup. It could get very tense as the troops tend to be very loyal to their officers. We'll see if they stay in their barracks...

[Poll_Blind]

4. In this case, though, the allegations are that the military was going to bomb mosques in order...

...to provoke Greece into shooting down a Turkish airliner over the Aegean.

Which doesn't quite strike the tone would would expect if the motivation were, in fact, from some sense of preservation of Turkey from Islamism.

More at the link I posted, BTW.

PB

[Morizovich]

5. Top Generals Quit in Group, Stunning Turks

Source: New York Times

ISTANBUL — Turkey’s top military commanders resigned en masse on Friday, a move without precedent in Turkish history that many analysts saw as a failed effort by a beleaguered institution to exert what is left of its dwindling political power.

In the surprising series of events, Turkey’s top commander, Gen. Isik Kosaner, together with the leaders of the navy, army and air force, simultaneously resigned in protest over the sweeping arrests of dozens of generals as suspects in conspiracy investigations that many people in Turkey have come to see as a witch hunt.

Hours later, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan accepted the resignations and elevated his own choice to become the senior military commander: Gen. Necdet Ozel, who was until Friday the commander of the military police. The decision stamped Mr. Erdogan’s civilian authority on the country’s military, which has long regarded itself as a protector of Turkey’s secular traditions.

The news stunned Turkey and left many people wondering whether they were witnessing the end of the power the military has long exercised over the nation’s political system. “This is effectively the end of the military’s role in Turkish democracy,” said Asli Aydintasbas, a columnist for the Turkish daily newspaper Milliyet. “This is the symbolic moment where the first Turkish republic ends and the second republic begins.”

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/30/world/europe/30turkey.html?_r=1&ref=global-home

---

Watch later today for neocon bleating and handwringing over how "Islamic Power" is now going to run rampant in that country.

:puke:

[Kolesar]

6. I wonder to what degree their power was reinforced by the Cold War alliance with America's military:

The Army, Navy, Lockheed, Boeing, the Air Force, Murtha, and the Marines.

[Codeine]

7. The rise of the fundies in Turkey is not a "neocon" concern. nt

[Morizovich]

9. Nice lips.

[JDPriestly]

8. The strengthening of the Islamic government in Turkey is of great concern

and not just to neocons.

[Morizovich]

10. What? They're going to attack us now?

LET'S INVADE A NATO COUNTRY!!! :eyes:

[hack89]

12. Secular nations in general are more democratic and respectful of civil rights. nt

[JDPriestly]

13. Good heavens! I never said anything about attacking anyone.

That's your idea, yours alone.

We need to watch the Turkish move toward religious extremism.

We also need to watch the Republican move toward religious extremism.

We have the First Amendment for a reason. It keeps the peace. In the past, when government and religion have been united, religion is used to fuel wars.

The Founding Fathers were well aware of the horrors visited on Europeans by wars between various religious factions.

Religion and government should be kept separate.

[tabasco]

11. I got to meet Turkish General Cevik Bir in Somalia.

He's an impressive guy. He fought for secularism.