GATA incident, EMASYA annulled, one more military official arrested- roundup on Turkish politicis

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Ergenekon Col. Dönmez purged from TSK, sentenced to four years imprisonment
Today’s Zaman
Dönmez who has been considered as a key suspect in the ongoing Ergenekon investigation which aims to reveal the shady network within state, escaped from

What the GATA incident tells us

by FATMA DİŞLİ ZIBAK

An unfortunate incident that took place three years ago when Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan?s wife, Emine, wanted to visit ailing thespian Nejat Uygur, who was hospitalized at the Gülhane Military Academy of Medicine (GATA), brought discrimination against covered women back on to the country?s agenda.

[CROSS READER] Tears of a prime minister?s wife

On Tuesday, Parliament saw an exchange of harsh words and punches between deputies from the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) over the Gülhane Military Academy of Medicine?s (GATA) refusal to allow the prime minister?s wife, Emine Erdoğan, to enter its facilities because she wears a headscarf.

A woman of the republic: Emine Erdoğan

by NURAY MERT – RADİKAL

Had we only spent more time pondering how ridiculous it was to reduce the concept of the famous ?Republic woman? to the image of a woman wearing a hat, perhaps we would have been able to base our own republic on a stronger foundation.

Başbuğ?s difficult task — or historic duty

by YAVUZ BAYDAR
?While everything else changes, the Turkish Armed Forces [TSK], too, will have to change. If it doesn?t, it is left out of the loop of developments. You cannot resist this. And you don?t have to fear these things.?

Turkey tries to rebuild confidence in military

from FT.com – World, Europe
The government moves to reinforce civilian control of the army, amid pressure to reduce the armed forces’ influence on politics

Analysis: Turkish military no longer calls shots – washingtonpost.com

Turkey adapting to change in roles of military and government
Today’s Zaman
Clos also shared his opinions on the recent investigation into Ergenekon, a clandestine gang charged with plotting to overthrow the government.

Journalists divided over alleged ‘Sledgehammer’ lists
Hurriyet Daily News
The 27 journalists later filed an official complaint at the Beşiktaş Public Prosecutor’s Office on Thursday. Ilıcak has been very active in keeping the

Turkey redefines civilian-military relations

by İBRAHİM KALIN

The disclosure of the ?Sledgehammer? plan by the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) and the debate about the Protocol on Cooperation for Security and Public Order (EMASYA) once again confirm that civilian-military relations in Turkey are undergoing a major transformation.

Turkish military should also change

by LALE KEMAL
The Turkish military has been under scrutiny for some time now due to its persistent involvement in politics despite some military reforms and at the expense of stability, as well as due to the involvement of some of its former and active duty officers, including generals, in alleged unconstitutional activities such as unseating the government. Currently several former generals as well as active and retired officers are facing trials over charges of inciting armed rebellion to overthrow the political authority.

Democratic initiative on the menu

by NICOLE POPE
Amid the polemic created by the Sledgehammer revelations, the Constitutional Court decision to annul the law allowing military personnel to be tried in civilian courts and the standoff on the Kurdish issue, measuring where Turkey stands is not always easy. Is the country moving inexorably toward a more democratic system? Or has the recent controversy increased the risk of short-term setbacks?

Coup scenarios and reforms

by LALE KEMAL
The latest allegations of a coup plot intending to unseat the government have triggered the ruling authority to make a fresh start on reforms, though they are not expected to be radical enough to help normalization move any faster.

A new turkey?

by DOĞU ERGİL
Recently, I have visited several universities in the Southeast, Ankara and İstanbul. They all looked very tidy and orderly except for their art departments. Paints, glues and sundry materials used in the creation of artifacts were scattered all around.

Haunted by Weimar?s ghosts

by YAVUZ BAYDAR
The Ankara Prosecutor?s Office announced yesterday that it has launched an investigation into the first congress of the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP), the successor of the banned Democratic Society Party (DTP).

It?s not the left that has died, but the politburo mentality

by BÜLENT KENEŞ

Statements made by Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, the deputy chair of the Republican People?s Party?s (CHP) parliamentary group, this past weekend at the Middle East Technical University (ODTÜ) Alumni Association have once again brought to the agenda the issue of how successful or unsuccessful the CHP — which likes to identify itself as ?leftist? — has been in embracing society at large.

Is Turkey going to be able to open that page?

by ALI BAYRAMOĞLU – YENİ ŞAFAK

The first step was taken on a television program that aired on Monday. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said, ?No such thing as [the Protocol on Cooperation for Security and Public Order] EMASYA can exist.?

Why The Kemalists Hate Capitalism

from The White Path

[Originally published in Hurriyet Daily News] Do you think that Turkey would be better off if it achieves “economic independence”? Would we Turks be wealthier if, for example, we drive all foreign companies out and “nationalize” the whole economy? I don’t know how you would answer these questions, but some circles in Turkey certainly answer them very positively. These are often the Marxist-Leninists, and other shades and grades of the radical left, who believe that global capitalism is a monster that plunders the nations it breaks into. The solution they suggest is to drive out the “imperialists,” and then create a completely national economy totally dominated by the state. Only then, they think, will we have a wonderful country such as, say, North Korea.

After EMASYA

by MÜMTAZER TÜRKÖNE

EMASYA is an acronym that stands for security, public order and cooperation. This acronym is used to describe a protocol detailing how the military is to function as a police force during periods of social unrest.

[CROSS READER] Understanding abolition of EMASYA

from Today’s Zaman
Turkey got rid of a hurdle before balanced civilian-military relations in the country with Thursday?s abolishment of a covert protocol that allowed the military to act on internal security matters on its own initiative.

One More Gendarmerie Officer Detained in Ergenekon Investigation

from Bianet :: English
Eskişehir Gendarmerie Regiment Commander Gençoğlu was arrested on appeal in the context of the investigation related to the “Ergenekon terror organization”, subsequent to the arrest of non-commissioned officer Bozkurt from the Kahramanmaraş Gendarmerie.

Dubious hospital records keep Ergenekon generals out of jail
Today’s Zaman
Contradictions abound in hospital records that have prevented several retired generals from being imprisoned during the investigation into Ergenekon

Physicians disagree over Ergenekon general’s health report
Today’s Zaman
The report was intended to ascertain whether Ersöz has serious problems preventing him from appearing at the Ergenekon trial.

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