Who gives a s*hit any more? Chief of Staff did not attend the President’s reception…

The army is in a losing battle. They have lost most of their ground. It seems that they cannot even control their (supposedly) tightly sealed structure (ie. latest spy operation) I personally do not give a shit; better not to see uniformed people among civilians…

Turkey’s Chief of Staff Gen. Isik Kosaner, right, shakes hands with his officers during a ceremony marking the 87th anniversary of the Turkish Republic at the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, founder of modern Turkey, in Ankara, Turkey, Friday, Oct. 29, 2010. On Turkey’s anniversary celebrations, all eyes are on the head of the president’s wife. In a gesture that strikes at the heart of a wrenching debate over secularism and piety, Hayrunnisa Gul is to wear an Islamic headscarf at a reception marking the founding of modern Turkey by Ataturk, whose secular principles are revered by the nation’s traditional establishment with almost religious fervor.? Read more »(AP Photo/Burhan Ozbilici)

Turkey’s Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan (L) shakes hands with Hayrunnisa Gul, wife of Turkey’s President Abdullah Gul, during the Republic Day reception at the Presidential Palace of Cankaya in Ankara October 29, 2010.? Read more » REUTERS/Umit Bektas

Turkey’s military shun reception with first lady | Reuters

Turkey’s President Abdullah Gul (L) and his wife Hayrunnisa Gul wait for their guests during the Republic Day reception at the Presidential Palace of Cankaya in Ankara October 29, 2010.? Read more »

REUTERS/Umit Bektas

Gul in headscarf challenge to secularism

Turkish students carry a huge national flag and a poster of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, founder of modern Turkey, during a ceremony marking the 87th anniversary of the Turkish Republic in Ankara, Turkey, Friday, Oct. 29, 2010. On Turkey’s anniversary celebrations, all eyes are on the head of the president’s wife. In a gesture that strikes at the heart of a wrenching debate over secularism and piety, Hayrunnisa Gul is to wear an Islamic headscarf at a reception marking the founding of modern Turkey by Ataturk, whose secular principles are revered by the nation’s traditional establishment with almost religious fervor.? Read more »(AP Photo/Burhan Ozbilici)

The KCK trial, the HSYK elections and majority’s verdict

THE CORRIDOR – Hidden side of the CHP’s bylaw pain

Headscarf row mars Turkish anniversary

Turkey?s Great Game?

This post has been updated.

The Moshe Dayan Center recently published a commentary by Hay Eytan Cohen Yanarocak that takes apart the 2010 edition of Turkey?s National Security Political Document, popularly known as the Red Book (Kırmızı Kitap). The Red Book is revised every five years and in the past, Yanarocak argues, has shown the influence of the military-dominated National Security Council (MGK). Since the last edition, the balance of power in the MGK has changed in favor of civilian politicians and Yanarocak parses this new Red Book for information about the positions Turkey plans to take vis-a-vis Iran, Greece, Russia, and Israel.

New edition of Turkish Red Book shapes new security spheres

TÜSİAD People?s Party

Headscarves in Turkey: On their heads be it | The Economist