“Public insinuations or claims about any role by the United States in the failed coup attempt are utterly false and harmful to our bilateral relations”, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry told his Turkish counterpart, according to the State Department’s readout of their telephone call. There are calls for the return of the death penalty and the government has demanded the USA extradites exiled cleric Fethullah Gulen, who Erdogan blames for the failed military uprising.
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The theory originated when Politico’s European correspondent Ryan Heath said that a Turkish source of his believed that the entire debacle was a staged performance citing the fact that the government was able to communicate with everybody in Turkey via SMS text message and that Erdogan would be able to “clean” the military of secularists and install hardline Islamists in both the judiciary and the armed forces stripping away any constitutional check on the leader.
Earlier, on a visit to Luxembourg, Kerry told reporters the US would entertain an extradition request for Gulen if the Turks provided evidence of wrongdoing. But Erdogan’s government is blaming the chaos on the cleric, who lives in exile in Pennsylvania and promotes a philosophy that blends a mystical form of Islam with staunch advocacy of democracy, education, science and interfaith dialogue. Soldiers backed by tanks blocked entry to Istanbul’s airport for a couple of hours before being overtaken by pro-government crowds carrying Turkish flags. Washington, however, has never found any evidence particularly compelling previously against the cleric.
“We fully anticipate that there will be questions raised about Mr. Gulen”. And obviously we would invite the government of Turkey, as we always do, to present us with any legitimate evidence that withstands scrutiny. According to an official White House statement, the President was briefed on the latest developments on the ground in Turkey and “reiterated the United States’ unwavering support for the democratically-elected, civilian government of Turkey”. A Turkish official, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with government regulations, said Turkey was preparing a formal extradition application.
In a statement issued after a meeting with his national security advisers Friday, Obama also urged everyone in Turkey to show restraint and avoid violence or bloodshed.
“They [Gulen supporters] were like a tumor within the military, and now this tumor is being removed”, he added.
Erdogan has urged Washington to deport Gulen.
Turkey’s North Atlantic Treaty Organisation allies lined up to condemn the coup attempt. Turkey’s renewed offensive against Kurdish militants – who seek more autonomy and are implacable foes of IS – has complicated the US -led fight against IS. The military has staged a number of coups – from the French coup d’etat, or “blow of state” – most recently in 1997.
The U.S. came out early in favor of the Turkish government, led by its democratically elected president, Erdogan.
“Government should be won through a process of free and fair elections, not force”, he said.
He also said the US military was working to adjust its counter-ISIS operations “to minimize any effects on the campaign”. If Turkey collapsed into full-scale civil war, like Syria to the south, the entire Middle East would be destabilised; Isis could find the way clear to reach Europe; the violence in Syria and Iraq could spill over, drawing in Israel, Iran, the U.S. and Russian Federation.
“All of that continues as before”, Kerry said. A failed coup in Turkey – a longtime ally of the USA and member of North Atlantic Treaty Organisation – could have significant and wide-ranging implications for the U.S.
The military did not appear unified, as top commanders went on television to condemn the action and order troops back to their barracks.
Describing the attempted coup as a “black stain” on Turkey’s democracy, Yildirim said 161 people had been killed in the night of violence and 1,440 wounded.
Almost 3,000 accused plotters already have been detained and new purges in the military are expected to remove any sympathizers among soldiers and officers.
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“If you’re planning a coup you don’t exactly advertise to your partners in NATO”, Kerry said.
