"The verdict on the DTP is in the wind, but…

October 5, 2008 by erkan

Ethnic rift and my retirement

Although I was not surprised to hear that there was an ethnic clash in Altınova between Turks and Kurds, this news hurt me like a knife to the heart.

The verdict on the DTP is in the wind, but…

The Constitutional Court is about to submit its verdict on the closure case against the Democratic Society Party, or DTP.

Fulya Atacan: “In Turkey the military say the State should not use religion, but they did it first

Black, long, curly hair and an open smile that often turns ironic. I meet Fulya Atacan on a hot summer day, at the beginning of August, in the Cihangir branch of the famous Kaktüs Café. The music is quite loud, and her voice is not, but my dictaphone luckily succeeds in recording it without too much back noise."

15 soldiers

October 4, 2008 by erkan

"Next week, Turkey’s Parliament is scheduled to vote on a proposal to extend for another year a mandate giving its military authorization for cross-border operations against Kurdish rebel bases in northern Iraq. The current authority which expires on Oct. 17.(Turkey: 15 soldiers killed by Kurd rebels) It is very timely. PKK is a sinister organization. … Read more

" The high cost of anti-democratic fantasies

September 27, 2008 by erkan

The high cost of anti-democratic fantasies

Macroeconomic indicators, released one after another, show that Turkey’s economic growth has slowed and that there has been a sharp decline in inflow of foreign direct investment (FDI) to Turkey.

Turkish singer Bulent Ersoy arrives at a court house in Istanbul, Turkey, Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2008. Ersoy, a popular transsexual Turkish singer, has showed up for the second hearing of her trial on charges of trying to turn the public against obligatory military service. Ersoy could face more than two years in prison for saying during a live television show that if she had children, she would not want them to join the army to fight Kurdish rebels. Military service is obligatory for men over the age of 20 in Turkey, and it is a crime to speak against it. Banners in Kurdish in the background read that:

‘Long live the diva’ (AP Photo/Ibrahim Usta)

Kılıçdaroğlu and Fırat remain unsatisfied

The ruling Justice and Development Party, or AKP, deputy leader defended himself against claims made by the main opposition Republican People’s Party, or CHP, parliamentary group deputy leader

allegations.

What happens when the military defines the concepts? by LÜTFÜ ÖZŞAHİN

Relations between the military and politics in Turkey have once again become the focal point of discussion following the recent press conferences held by the General Staff, additional arrests in connection with the Ergenekon case, a visit paid by the military to retired generals held in prison and the discharge of retired Gen. Şener Eruygur, who is also a prime suspect in the Ergenekon case.

"Neo-Ottomanism and Kemalist foreign policy

September 24, 2008 by erkan

Neo-Ottomanism and Kemalist foreign policy

Davutoğlu argues that Turkish foreign policy had been unbalanced, with an overemphasis on ties with Western Europe and the United States to the neglect of Turkey’s interests with other countries, particularly in the Middle East. His vision displays familiar characteristics of "neo-Ottomanism," which builds on the approach of former President Turgut Özal. According to this view Turkey needs to rediscover its imperial legacy and seek a new national consensus where the multiple identities of Turkey can coexist. ………

"New era signaled in army-media relations in Turkey

September 17, 2008 by erkan

New era signaled in army-media relations in Turkey

Turkey’s new army chief Gen. Ilker Basbug signaled Tuesday a new era has started regarding the relations between the military and the media.

Chief Of Staff Meets With A Select Group Of Media Organs
BİA – İstanbul,Turkey
Sedat Ergin, chief editor of the newspaper Milliyet, told that they had asked the chief of staff what their accreditation criteria regarding the newspapers

AND "New era signaled in army-media relations in Turkey…

"Yet Another Threat to The Turkish Republic: Postmodernism

September 11, 2008 by erkan

Yet Another Threat to The Turkish Republic: Postmodernism

[Originally published in Turkish Daily News] Did you know that the Turkish military sees postmodernism as a “threat” that should be fought against? We all learned that about a week ago when the new Commander of Land Forces, Gen. Işık Koşaner, made a speech which summarized all the enemies that the Turkish Armed Forces despise. These included the usual groups: “Separatists,” religious orders, and “unpatriotic” circles. But the latter included a new cadre of treacherous citizens: “the post-modernists.” The high-brow general openly stated: “The propaganda network that consists of a postmodern clique of some media, academics, finance circles and NGOs are working in order to weaken and disintegrate national unity and national values.” He also added that these “postmodern” traitors are “manipulated by global powers.”

"What does the military?s surprise visit mean?

September 6, 2008 by erkan

What does the military’s surprise visit mean? by İRFAN YILDIRIM

The Ergenekon case is still shaking Turkey. Most recently, the visit paid on behalf of the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) by Kocaeli Garrison Commander Lt. Gen. Galip Mendi to retired generals Şener Eruygur and Hurşit Tolon, who are being held in Kandıra Prison in connection with the case, has added a new dimension to the issue.

"Our generals? selectivity of security threats

September 1, 2008 by erkan

Turkey’s new Chief of Staff Gen. Ilker Basbug, center, is flanked by President Abdullah Gul, right, and Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan, during the Victory Day reception in Ankara, Turkey, late Saturday, Aug. 30, 2008. The celebrations marking an 86-year-old victory over Greece which was considered crucial in Turkish Independence War which led to the foundation of modern Turkish republic.

(AP Photo)

Our generals used an updated terminology in which even Habermas was quoted but continued to maintain 1930s rhetoric. What I feel is that those anti-postmodernist, pro-status quo Turkish scholars might now be providing service to our generals. Better than nothing (!)

Some journalists like Ruşen Çakır read between the lines and provide a more positive outlook. But of course Mr. Çakır has shown signs of anti-Ergenekon case during summer. So it is your choice. I still liked some of his commentaries in NTV and I believe at the least the Chief of Staff- though classified as an hawk- will prefer not to explicitly intervene in politics.

As I noted before, I believe, as long as civil political authority is powerful, whatever rhetoric the military has, politics will be not be interfered…

Our generals’ selectivity of security threats

Today, telecommunications technology, globalization and increased education have transformed Turkey and provided it a level of transparency, leading many people to not be convinced by demagogic rhetoric.

JITEM Linked To Human and Arms Trafficking…

August 27, 2008 by erkan

Ergenekon divides Kurdish politicans, too.

Ergenekon Investigation: Military Unit Linked To Human and Arms Trafficking

By Jenny White on Jitem

Documents seized in a police raid on the house of an executive of a TV station as part of the ongoing Ergenekon operation have revealed that a secret and illicit military intelligence unit known as JITEM was engaged in several illegal acts, including drug and human smuggling and arms trade with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK)….

"Ergenekon: worries and hopes

August 25, 2008 by erkan

last week something like a minor judiciary coup happened within judiciary circles. I realize today that I have not emphasized that enough. A prosecutor from Ankara ordered the search of Ergenekon’s Istanbul based prosecutor’s headquarters. The claim was that Ankara prosecutor believed there was illegal phone listening happening in Istanbul prosecutor’s office. So like an ambush, some officials visited the Istanbul office, then began to have a look who was being listened. This is a giant scandal. Some officials were found to be listing those who was being listened. This is a scandal. This is a judiciary intervention to an ongoing trial by another section of Turkish judiciary. I hear that some bureaucrats in Ankara are very anxious because of the Ergenekon trial.

"The verdict on the DTP is in the wind, but…

Ethnic rift and my retirement

The verdict on the DTP is in the wind, but…

Fulya Atacan: “In Turkey the military say the State should not use religion, but they did it first

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15 soldiers

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" The high cost of anti-democratic fantasies

Kılıçdaroğlu and Fırat remain unsatisfied

What happens when the military defines the concepts? by LÜTFÜ ÖZŞAHİN

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"Neo-Ottomanism and Kemalist foreign policy

Neo-Ottomanism and Kemalist foreign policy

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"New era signaled in army-media relations in Turkey

New era signaled in army-media relations in Turkey

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"Yet Another Threat to The Turkish Republic: Postmodernism

Yet Another Threat to The Turkish Republic: Postmodernism

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"What does the military?s surprise visit mean?

What does the military’s surprise visit mean? by İRFAN YILDIRIM

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"Our generals? selectivity of security threats

Our generals used an updated terminology in which even Habermas was quoted but continued to maintain 1930s rhetoric. What I feel is that those anti-postmodernist, pro-status quo Turkish scholars might now be providing service to our generals. Better than nothing (!)

As I noted before, I believe, as long as civil political authority is powerful, whatever rhetoric the military has, politics will be not be interfered…

Our generals’ selectivity of security threats

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JITEM Linked To Human and Arms Trafficking…

Ergenekon divides Kurdish politicans, too.

Ergenekon Investigation: Military Unit Linked To Human and Arms Trafficking

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"Ergenekon: worries and hopes

I hear that there are already new ‘understandings’ after the AKP closure case. One shouldn’t be very hopeful any more (!).

Ergenekon: worries and hopes

Elder brother caught in Dink case

Ergenekon questions in Malatya massacre case

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Our generals used an updated terminology in which even Habermas was quoted but continued to maintain 1930s rhetoric. What I feel is that those anti-postmodernist, pro-status quo Turkish scholars might now be providing service to our generals. Better than nothing (!)

As I noted before, I believe, as long as civil political authority is powerful, whatever rhetoric the military has, politics will be not be interfered…

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Ergenekon divides Kurdish politicans, too.

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I hear that there are already new ‘understandings’ after the AKP closure case. One shouldn’t be very hopeful any more (!).

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