The first 48 hours after Friday evening’s failed coup d’etat in Turkey has seen the launching of a massive crackdown on anyone even suspected of being involved, with some 6,000 from the military already detained in relation to the attempt, including the commander of the Incirlik Air Base, where US troops and a substantial number of US nuclear arms are stationed.
This appears to be just the beginning, with Erdogan openly talking about bringing back the death penalty, saying the public wants to see the coup plotters executed and that “in a democracy, whatever the people want they will get.”
Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag also hinted that the mass detentions are going to go quite a bit further, saying that the operation “is continuing” and that the number could soon surpass the 6,000 being reported.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is vowing that the entire country would be cleansed of the “virus” responsible for the coup attempt, attempting the pin the effort on former ally and current exile Fethullah Gulen.
Gulen, currently in the US, denies involvement in the coup, while US officials have said they are open to the possibility of extraditing him back to Turkey, which would obviously be contingent on actual evidence of his involvement, something we so far haven’t seen.
In the meantime, the purge is centered not just on Gulen’s reformist movement, but everyone even tangentially related to them. This has included 2,745 judges from around the country, who were removed from office over the weekend.
The judges span all the different levels of the country’s judiciary, including even some members of the Judges and Prosecutors High Council, which itself approved the purge during an emergency meeting this weekend.
Beyond removal from office, some 48 members of the administrative court and 140 members of the appeals court now have warrants out for their arrest, again all related to claims that they were affiliated with Gulen’s movement.
The purge of the military and judiciary is likely being done with an eye toward empowering those loyal to Erdogan, but at the same time is said to be raising concern about continuity in the nation’s substantial military, with concerns too broad of a purge will further fracture the force.
It started — already. “Concerns” for purges. Really? It has not been but a two days since the attempted coup, and the idea that the government should already stop the investigation is — absurd. Last time in 1989 after the coup, over 500,000 people were arrested, tens of thousands left the country as their passports were recalled, thousands were killed unofficially, and thousands disappeared. “Only” 500 or so were actually officially executed. But it was Ok then, as it was done in support of NATO policies, and against the government that strayed off the prescribed path. Always, always excuses for what is useful to the Western interests, and the pontifications and high moral tones, when opposite. Yet, even I did not expect that the cries of condemnation would come this soon. It is almost as if nothing happened, as it people were not standing up in front of tanks, climbed on them, and faced fire barehanded. Given that the coup was not put down until Sunday, as the pockets of coup groups were still rounded up — and that the full inventory is not complete, like missing helicopters, tanks, ammunition, we are already talking of “excess”. Such excess may happen, but it had not time to start yet. It is also ridiculous to assume that the military coup happened without some internal political support. Those are just as responsible — if not more — then the soldiers that were ordered on the streets. All of it has been taken too lightly — a coup happened, and so what. Really? Turkey knows something about military coups, and is anxious to put a stop to it. Most people — if they know what is good for them — would always support a dictator and monarch over a military coup.
It does appear that there are a number of politicians and Gulen network people on the sidelines, that waited for the coup, and then emerge as the political solution to military rule. it is clear that Turkish government has not even started to check out this level, with the exception of Gulen’s judiciary favorites. I do not remember in history a case when a government has been told to stop investigating and arresting people two days after the coup. This must be a record.
It
Looks like a Turkish version of a “Great Leap Forward”.
Turkey’s move toward a radical islamacist dictatorship is going forward. The is no true democracy there anymore. The military coup was the countries last hope to get it back on track. Turkey’s military is in total disruption.
It is not. Name ONE thing that Erdogan did or a policy promoted to indicate that he is moving Turkey towards a radical Islamist dictatorship. Prove that it is a dictatorship — if you cannot jog your memory let me ask you to explain recent intra-party conflict (Justice and Development Party), and why Davutoglu and his supporters resigned the premiership and some ministerial positions? How do you prove — with what facts, that the coup was the last hope to get the country on track? Tell us all your facts, — some events in last few years to prove your extraordinary assertions.
“Name ONE thing that Erdogan did or a policy promoted to indicate that he is moving Turkey towards a radical Islamist dictatorship.”
Just one thing? OK:
The upside of it is that it splashed dirt on the US for being an ally of that ridiculous criminal regime.
Bianca Get your head out…The military is basically secular and has been trying to offset Ergogans move toward Islamification of the nation. The little dictator is rounding up most of the military, if that isn’t proof I dont know what is. The rhetoric of Erdogan, who has been prime minister or president of
Turkey since 2003, has been increasingly religious in recent years and
accompanied by crackdowns on the judiciary, the press and critics. In
the wake of the failed coup, in which more than 250 people were killed,
his government has detained nearly 6,000 military and judicial
officials. Turkey was once a secular nation…not now…The little dictator said the coup was sent to him by god … so he can move into a radical islamacist state. Realigous zealots are celebrating all over the place. The AKP wants to end scularization and is moving to take greater control over the country. He opposes the secular Assad, Now, anyone in Turkey who opposes him will be gone. He will use this to eliminate all of his enemies. He will take total control over the nation. Turkey as a democracy is gone. If you still refuse to get it…sit back and in due time you will see his radical plans.
The President cannot order death penalty. Such change would require legislative action, and in spite of the heat of the moment public demand for the death penalty, it will be hard to pass the legislation But by the TITLE of this article it sounds like the President can just — order it, like a pizza to go.
If you were talking about Canada or some other first world country then you would be right in what you say about Erdogan bringing in the death penalty. With Turkey and Erdogan’s power grab, you are wrong. Summary executions will be the order of the day most likely so if that fits your definition of the death penalty then try to refute that likelihood.
I think the coup may have been phony. A false flag to justify Sultan Erdogan’s consolidation of power. Kind of like the Reichstag Fire. A dipsh*t move, if you ask me. It’s ultimately just gonna scare off the foreign investment Erdogan relies on to make Turkey the jewel of Eurasia, not to mention weaken the military he relies on to keep his people in line. Once again, Putin will have the last laugh and hopefully the Kurds will too.
Personally, I doubt that it was phony. I could be wrong, but it did strike me as genuine. Which makes it even easier for Erdogan to exploit in pursuit of his agenda.
I could just be paranoid (wouldn’t be the first time) but it all just seems too convenient to me. Pepe Escobar did an interesting piece on the coup for counterpunch.com today. Check it out.
Yup, it’s paranoia for about the umpteenth time comrade. Thomas was being kind to you when he said he doubted it was phony. I would have told you to get some help.
Said the TROLL with a sadistic hard-on and a shit-eating grin on his face, for he knew he had just made his masters very happy.
No, I wasn’t “being kind” to him. I don’t entirely discount the possibility that Erdogan-affiliated provocateurs intentionally stirred up a coup attempt among people already inclined toward one, precisely so that it could be suppressed in a very visible way (instead of just through some pre-attempt arrests, which would be a propaganda fizzle).