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Europe
Turkish Military Unhappy With Reforms
2003-08-05
When Turkey’s government passed reforms to curb the military’s influence on politics, the European Union was jubilant. Not surprisingly, the military wasn’t quite as pleased.
And we all know what happens when the Turkish military isn’t pleased.
At a traditionally tame military congress over the weekend, top generals reportedly criticized Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his defense minister after parliament voted to cut the influence of the military-dominated National Security Council. Gen. Cetin Dogan, a top army commander, accused Erdogan of undermining Turkey’s armed forces and trying to change the secular regime, the daily Cumhuriyet reported Monday. A military official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed the report. "Forces that will not allow any change in the secular structure of Turkey will act together," Dogan said, according to Cumhuriyet. "If needed, the army and the nation will achieve the result hand in hand."
Time to start the Turkish Coup Pool.
The tensions show how difficult it will be to curtail the influence of the military, which harbors enormous distrust of Erdogan’s Islamic-rooted government. The military sees itself as a protector of Turkey’s secular state, and has sparked three coups. In 1997, it pressured a pro-Islamic government into leaving power. Turkey hopes to start membership talks with the European Union by the end of next year, but the EU has demanded Turkey first curtail the military’s influence and carry out other reforms before it can join.
Once Turkey completes these reforms, the EU will come up with another reason to keep Turkey out.
The military suspects that Erdogan’s government has a secret agenda to replace the secular regime with an Islamic one — an accusation Erdogan denies. "You are benefiting from the Turkish people’s love for the EU. One day, you will pay for it," Cumhuriyet quoted Dogan as saying. "Don’t assume that this force will be a coup. This will be the Turkish people." Cumhuriyet said Dogan was supported by other generals at the meeting. Erdogan reportedly defended his government, saying they had no intention of harm the military.
"By the beard of the Prophet, by my mother's burka, by the Gates of Vienna, by the blessed memory of the Sultan, and by the nose of the Hairy Djinni of Mosul, I swear! No harm will come to the military that doesn't also come to the rest of the country!"
The reported clash came only days after parliament passed reforms emphasizing that the National Security Council was an advisory body, allowing a civilian to serve as the council’s secretary-general and permitting lawmakers to scrutinize some military expenses. The military has a strong say in national policy through its presence on the council, a forum used by the military to exert influence on the government. EU leaders had warmly welcomed the reforms. "The reforms on paper change the balance of power between the military and civilians but this does not mean that the military is no longer effective," said Umit Cizre, a political scientist at Ankara’s Bilkent University.
Meaning that no matter how many so-called reforms are on paper, if the military decides to have a coup, they are going to do it.
During the meeting, Erdogan reportedly clashed with the military over the firing of 18 soldiers for having suspected pro-Islamic leanings, but eventually relented. The meeting was overshadowed by another thorny issue when Erdogan canceled a traditional banquet in honor of the generals to prevent a possible crisis over his wife’s Islamic-style headscarf — regarded by the military as a symbol of political Islam.
Erdogan is pushing his luck.
Wait'll they see her in an evening burka. Stunning!
Turkish media reported that the military also warned Erdogan not to insist on the reforms about the National Security Council if President Ahmet Necdet Sezer vetoes them. Sezer hasn’t said if he will endorse the measures. Turkey wants to start negotiations for membership in the 15-nation European Union by the end of next year. But the EU has demanded Turkey first curtail the military’s influence and implement democratic reforms, such as giving greater rights to its estimated 12 million Kurds.
Well, there’s two things the military won’t like.
The military has said it supports Turkey’s EU membership but says Turkey should refrain from doing anything that could harm its national security.
It’s times like this that I miss Murat.
Posted by:Steve

#4  'Bout the same as Patty Ann Brown popping by to see me 'cause she heard what a great lover I am...
Posted by: Fred   2003-8-5 3:31:16 PM  

#3  The Phrench have a nice game going here:

1) tell the Turks to reform or else. The military won't go for all the reforms, so the Turks never join the EU

2) if the Turks DO pull off all these reforms, the currrent govt is Islamic enough to keep them out of the EU

3) in the meantime the Phrench can yank their chains and say things like "if you let the Americans move their troops through your country you'll never join the EU."

Hmmm, wonder what the chances are of the Turks joining the EU.
Posted by: Steve White   2003-8-5 3:19:34 PM  

#2  Steve---

It's a Murat Moment™....*sigh*
Posted by: Alaska Paul   2003-8-5 1:45:53 PM  

#1  Cumhuriyet - a Turkish prostitutes trade paper?

sorry - couldn't help myself
Posted by: Frank G   2003-8-5 11:23:41 AM  

00:00