That followed the arrest of 6,000 military personnel and suspension of nearly 3,000 judges over the weekend.
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“I’m sure their confidence is shaken because if they can’t even choose the people with whom they are going to spend 24 hours, how are they going to trust anyone else”. He lives in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania but has a network of supporters in Turkey. Turkish media said on Monday he had denied this to prosecutors, saying he had tried to prevent the attempted putsch.
The eroding secularism, democracy, human rights and global reputation was cited as the reason for the coup by the Peace at Home Council.
But arrests may be the least of it. “For the first time in years, parliamentary parties united on Saturday to condemn the coup attempt – including Kurdish nationalists”. Indeed, this campaign may have been a motivating factor for the mutineers.
Erdogan’s continued hold on power may be the greatest gift for all those who wish Turkey to remain the laughing stock of the world. This includes the shuttering of opposition newspapers and other media outlets. Turkish journalists have been jailed for doing their jobs. “But we also firmly urge the government of Turkey to maintain calm and stability throughout the country”, he said in Brussels on Monday (18/07). “If there were accurate intelligence they could prevent the attempt”, Erdogan said. Erdogan has moved quickly to round up military personnel associated with the coup attempt. The government also purged police chiefs, magistrates, and other officials.
As a practical matter, however, the United States and its allies may have no leverage over Turkey’s internal affairs.
“Any downward development in the country is most likely to have major repercussions not only in the region but well beyond it”, Amin Saikal, director of the Centre for Arab and Islamic Studies at the Australian National University, wrote in an email.
“He presents himself as the saviour of democracy, he starts a new life and this will increase his powers”, said Mr Balci. Erdogan will now exploit this golden opportunity to tighten his grip on power by becoming even more vengeful and autocratic than before, and smashing with an iron fist anyone who dares to disagree with him!
“Under worldwide law, there are certain rights, like the right to a fair trial and bans on torture and discrimination, which can never be suspended or limited in any way”, said Amnesty Turkey researcher Andrew Gardner.
Bayram Balci, Turkey expert at Ceri Sciences Po in Paris, said that the coup was nothing less than a “gift from heaven” for Erdogan.
The coup attempt may lead to increased U.S.
“The people who carried out this coup, who killed people on the streets, who rolled the tanks on civilian people, they are arrested”, he said. Moreover, since assuming office in 2003, Erdogan has been acutely aware of the risks of a coup. Or would the USA and the European Union expect us to present them with flowers and give them a raise and thank them for trying to kill us and destroy our democracy? “The damage to the army – more important than ever, given the turmoil in Turkey’s neighborhood – will be severe”.
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The disturbing trends continue. Yet that airbase was closed for a few days after the failed coup before reopening this week. Still, this bickering creates an unsettled future for bilateral relations. Ankara’s agreement a year ago to allow a squadron of A-10 “Warthog” ground-attack planes to fly from Incirlik had demonstrated renewed cooperation between the two countries’ militaries after a decade of tense relations- and according to USA and Turkish analysts, had bolstered the Turkish military after a decade of increasing political control. Operations have resumed, but it appears Erdogan wished to use the base as a bargaining chip to demand the extradition of Fetuallah Gulen.
