Coup attempt in Turkey

SST correspondents report that there is an ongoing Turkish Army coup all over the country to include small towns.  The two Bosporus bridges are blocked by the army as would be the case if the cup is centered in Anatolia and the putschists do not want interference from Turkish 1st Army who are based in Thrace.  pl

http://www.theatlantic.com/news/archive/2016/07/turkey-government/491579/

Comments

[Matthew]

Absolutely not, Colonel. But a coup against a government that cancels elections is totally different than a coup against a government that won an election.

BTW, I'll shed no tears for Erdogan. His crimes in Syria are unforgiveable.

[Barish]

I'll give a translation a shot:

TSK: Cumhurbaşkanı gaflet, dalalet ve hatta hıyanet içinde; Yurtta Sulh Konseyi ülke yönetimine el koydu!

"Tüm dünya ülkeleri ile iyi ilişkilerimizin devam edeceğini temenni ederiz"

Türk Silahlı Kuvvetleri (TSK) ülke yönetimine bütünüyle el koyulduğunu açıkladı. Açıklamada, "Cumhurbaşkanı gaflet, dalalet ve hatta hıyanet içinde; Yurtta Sulh Konseyi ülke yönetimine el koydu!" dendi.

Türk Silahlı Kuvvetlerinin yaptığı açıklama şöyle:

Türk Silahlı Kuvvetleri, anayasal düzenin, demokrasinin, insani hak ve özgürlüklerinin tekrar temin ve tesis, ülkede hukukun üstünlüğünün yeniden hakim kılınması, bozulan asayış düzeninin tekrar sağlanması maksadıyla ülke yönetimine bütünüyle el koymuştur.

Genelkurmay Başkanlığı

TSK'nın bildirisi, TRT ekranlarında okundu. Spiker Tijen Karaş'ın okuduğu bildiriden satırbaşları şöyle:

"Bu ahval ve şerait altında yüce Atatürk’ün önderliğinde milletimizin olağanüstü fedakarlıklarla kurduğu TSK “Yurtta sulh, cihanda sulh” ilkesinden hareketle milletin bekasını devam ettirmek, hukuk devleti önündeki fiili engelleri ortadan kaldırmak, yolsuzluğu engellemek, terörizm ve terörün her türlüsüyle mücadele etmek."

- TSK: Due to the President's carelessness, error and even treason; the government in the country has been put into the hand of a Peace Council!

"We wish to continue our good relations with all countries in the world"

The Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) have announced their taking over the entire government. In the accouncement it was said: "Due to the President's carelessness, error and even treason; the government in the country has been put into the hand of a Peace Council!"

The announcement made by Turkish Armed Forces was this:

For the purpose of ensuring constitutional order, democracy, the continued establishment and provision of human rights and freedoms, once again making the supremacy of law dominant in the country and continuing to save public order from breaking down the entire government of the country was taken over.

Tüm uluslararası anlaşmalarımız ve taahhütlerimiz eçerliliğini korumaktadır. Tüm dünya ülkeleri ile iyi ilişkilerimizin devam edeceğini temenni ederiz.

The validity of all our international agreements and commitments are to be protected. We wish to continue our good relations with all countries in the world.

General Staff

The TSK's notice was read on TRT screens. Speaker Tijen Karaş's reading of the notice's paragraphs was thus:

"Under these circumstances and conditions TSK, founded with the extraordinary sacrifices of our people during glorious Atatürk's leadership out of the principle "Peace at home, peace in the world", shall continue the nation's movement, the de facto obstructions to putting the lawful state first shall be lifted, illegality shall be averted, terrorism and all forms of terror shall be fought."

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I did wish a coup upon Padişah...let's see whether I'll rue that wish coming true yet.

[turcopolier]

matthew

You know very well that Erdogan is/was an enemy of constitutional democracy. What he wanted was what all the Islamists want. if you want to let them use democracy as a tool to get there we part company on this. pl

[MarkC]

Turkey is a little different and has a history (post Ataturk) of the military intervening to put down governments that were drifting away from democracy and secularism. It’s even in their constitution, sort of…

[Jack]

All

Twitter abuzz with tweets stating people out in streets challenging military. It's gonna take some time to know the actual situation.

If the coup fails Erdogan will become the Imperator.

[Will Reks]

Matthew,

It's an interesting dilemma. The difference from Egypt is that AKP seems to have much more popular support and legitimacy. They've done much better than the MB in Egypt at getting their supporters entrenched in state institutions. We'll see how this plays out but I wouldn't be surprised if the coup fails.

Erdogan is blaming this on the Gulenists.

[Matthew]

Col: I know you are right about the Islamists, but I'm profoundly suspicious of military coups.

[sans racines]

Yes, you see that a lot - using populism to win the vote and then removing rights and ostracising the losers. But winning the vote isn't equivalent to democracy - it's what you do next. On this principle it was certain that the Kemalists would act at some point.

[aleksandar]

Maybe if the coup fails you will see a civil war.....

[Prem]

Erdogan is claiming that this is a Gulen coup.

I suppose that is nonsense, but it would be good to hear from someone from Turkish military background.

[walrus]

Erdogan blaming "gulenist faction in Turkish army". How much of the Turkish army are conscripts? Will they follow their officers or remain in barracks? To me that is the question.

[Cee]

All,

I lift my head out of my jewelry making for one second... I have never forgotten the neoconservatives wanting the military to take over years ago so now they have their wish. The Kemalist faction are now firing on civilians in the street.
I think Sibel Edmonds gives a balanced perspective

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=t4QHsRuEE88

[Ghostship]

Why would Russia want to topple the government of Ukraine? After the US-funded coup in Kiev, it's the United States that is seen as anti-democratic, pro-Nazi and pro-corruption. Plus the EU get stuck with the total train wreck that is the Ukrainian economy. As for Russia toppling governments of NATO members, it doesn't have to, the internal contradictions of capitalism will do it instead and all that's probably keeping some NATO members on board is fear of another color revolution c/o NED/DNI/IRI/CIA.

[asx]

Turkey, truly the Pakistan on the Mediterranean. A prolonged tug of war between the Kemalists and AKP will do to Turkey what it did to Syria. It is time for the Kurds to lobby up, hire PR agencies and what not to project their democratic and secular civil society. Thanksgiving is not far away.

Assad must be related to Castro. He has bid farewell to King Abdullah, David Cameron, now Erdogan. In January, he will see a new U.S administration as well. Only assorted Gulfies remain.

Let us see how much the MSM bleats for democracy. My theory is that Erdogan saw the writing on the wall and began executing a bunch of U-turns. It was too late though. I would not be surprised if this was part of the understanding with Russia on Syria. Turkey is paying a price for pretending to be in the big leagues.

[Stag Deflated]

Can you please tell me how it is part of their constitution? I'm just curious.

[Poul]

Still a murky picture if the coup will succeed.

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/17-turkish-policemen-killed-in-coup-attempters-attack-on-key-building-.aspx?pageID=238&nID=101669&NewsCatID=341

[Cee]

All,

http://www.theamericanconservative.com/articles/whos-afraid-of-sibel-edmonds/

[Tyler]

Erdogan denied asylum in Germany (!?), heading for London.

To our Turkish friends, what part do the Gulenists play in this coup?

[Tony]

How could the Turkish Army even attempt this without approval of the West?
On an unrelated topic, Congress released the 28-page document detailing possible links between Saudi officials and Al Qaeda operatives this afternoon. With events in France and Turkey, it sure will be buried. How convenient.

[turcopolier]

tony

"How could the Turkish Army even attempt this without approval of the West?" In your universe the Turkish Army calls Washington to know if they have permission for a coup? More feeble minded ME thinking. pl

[turcopolier]

Cee

"the neoconservatives wanting the military to take over years ago so now they have their wish" In turkey? What are you talking about? pl

[Mark Riebling]

If you strike the kill, you have to kill the king.

[Willy B]

Can someone here provide or direct me to a brief explanation of who the Gulenists are exactly? I'm not that knowledgeable about Turkish internal politics but have a need to understand the current events now underway there. It does seem to me that Erdogan was blaming Gulen for everything going wrong in Turkey and that Guilen himself is living in exile, in the US if I understand correctly.

[Poul]

Now it looks like a failed attempt. But time will tell.

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/situation-largely-under-control-after-coup-attempt-turkish-pm-.aspx?pageID=238&nID=101669&NewsCatID=341

[HankP]

I wonder if any US intelligence agencies had any hint of this happening?

It's a real mess, I don't like Ergodan's Islamist-lite policies, but military coups generally aren't a good way to promote a democratic culture (and I am aware of the special position of the Turkish military in their constitution and their history). I just hope the deaths and injuries are minimal.