Turkey in alleged coup crackdown Interesting article about an alleged coup plot in Turkey by disgruntled members of the military and other members of the estranged secular establishment.
They are upset at the policies of the 'moderate' Islamic party currently in power and the betrayal of Attaturk's legacy.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/may/04/turkey.thefarright
I recently acquired a biography of Attaturk from a book dealer friend of mine, which I might dip into should things get messy in that part of the world.
Tony- 05-04-2008
I suppose that this drivel is only to be expected of the Grauniad:
It has the elements of a thriller: a shadowy group of right-wing former soldiers, a mafia don, extremist lawyers and politicians; hand-grenades in a rucksack; plots to kill the Prime Minister and a Nobel-prize winning writer; allegedly planted evidence and falsified wire taps.
Don't they have a clue as to who the 'far right' are in Turkey? Only a bunch of retarded assholes wouldn't recognise the Islamists as 'far right'!
Percy- 05-04-2008
You're right - Turkish politics is very confusing.
The rather old fashioned almost 1930's style secular nationalists who revere Attaturk like a god are the 'modernists'...
The present government calling for 'European' style tolerance of traditional Islamic dress for women are the conservatives (small 'c')...
:roll:
Tony- 05-04-2008
Turkish politics isn't confusing at all. It's just that the so-called commentators apply the same terms as they do here to the politics over there - and they don't understand the confusion THEY create!
'conservative' means tradition and gradual change. Islam is not conservative under any circumstances because it is the absolute enemy of change. They are frequently referred to as 'conservative' when they should be more accurately referred to as 'regressive'.
The only reason the Islamists want 'european-style freedom' is because it is a wedge with which to drive open the door to let in the Sharia state. That is not progressive change, that is the murder of a secular state.
The reason the majority of Turks like their version of Islam is because it is co-operative, not dominating. Their version allows freedom to a large extent, the one that will almost inevitably be imposed will allow no freedom at all, unless you like living in the dark ages.
Any reference to the military is always coupled with 'right wing' - since when is protecting democracy, without getting involved politically, right wing?
The reason that Turkey is prospering is because they do not have Islam dictating everything. Turkey has little in the way of oil, a somewhat backward but busy manufacturing industry and a profitable tourist industry.
If Turkey ends up Islamist the tourist industry will die overnight and with it any possibility of an improving economy - but since when did that matter to Islam?
useful who's who:
The AKP: In power for a year. Islamist, but has so far pursued a pro-Western agenda. In favour of Turkey becoming a member of the EU. Attempts to raise profile of Islam in Turkish society have led its opponents to accuse it of flouting Turkey's secular constitution.
Republican People's party: The main parliamentary opposition. Secular and nationalist. Seen as hostile to the EU.
The PKK: Outlawed Kurdish separatist party
The judges: Trial involving AKP could lead to party being disbanded for instituting Islamic state.
The military: Staged coup in 1980. Widely seen as responsible for fall of Islamist government in 1997.
He described the trial as a waste of time and energy - and pledged his party would now press ahead with reforms - to modernise Turkey and ensure its EU membership and prosperity.
And what reforms would they be? Oh... allowing more freedom for Islamic expression... that would be secular Islamic expression then?
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