Turkey's top military leaders resign en masse

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http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fgw-turkey-generals-resign-20110730,0,5015262.story

Reporting from Beirut—
Nearly the entire leadership of Turkey's armed forces departed en masse Friday, local media reported, in the latest sign of tension between the country's once dominant military old guard and a rising pious Muslim political elite.

Turkish media reported that the army's chief of general staff, Gen. Isik Kosaner, and the officers heading the Turkish ground forces, navy and air force resigned their posts.

Turkey's semi-official Anatolia news agency first quoted the Kosaner as writing, "I resign my post as I deemed necessary." The agency then rescinded the report and described the top general's departure as a "retirement."

There was no confirmation of the resignations from the country's political leadership. Transportation Minister Binali Yildirim was quoted by the daily newspaper Today's Zaman as saying that "the state would continue to function" and that he had been told that the officers "have asked for their retirement."

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1. Wonder what's up?

Gotta be something is up.

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2. The hint is the newly emerged religious majority

For the civilian government.

The guys retiring are strong, but secular.

Thats my guess - it's in there.

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3. It could be a smooth transition, a changing of the guard, or something more exciting.

I think things are exciting enough already, so I would favor the former. Erdogan has played well, it's no surprise to see him strengthen his position.

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4. Erdogan seems to have done alright by most Turks.

It'll be interesting to see who fills the old guards shoes.

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5. Turkey's military in turmoil as top brass quit

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/turkeys-military-in-turmoil-as-top-brass-quit-2328893.html

Turkey faced turmoil within its military on Saturday after the country's four most senior commanders quit, offering Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan an opportunity to extend his authority over the once dominant armed forces.

Chief of General Staff General Isik Kosaner stepped down last night along with the army, navy and air force commanders in protest over the detention of 250 officers on charges of conspiring against Erdogan's government.

In a farewell message to "brothers in arms", Kosaner said it was impossible to continue in his job as he could not defend the rights of men who had been detained as a consequence of a flawed judicial process.

Relations between the secularist military and Erdogan's socially conservative Justice and Development Party (AK) have been fraught since it first won power in 2002, due to mistrust of the AK's Islamist roots.