TSK Plot Scandalous, Disappointing
The General Staff's plans to defame the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) and the Gülen movement, revealed by the Taraf daily on Friday, have once again left many disappointed at the military's engagement in politics through such conspiracies.
The document published by the Taraf daily and named the "Action Plan to Fight against Reactionaryism" revealed that the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) had a systematic plan to damage the image of the AK Party government and the Gülen movement - - led by internationally respected Turkish scholar Fethullah Gülen ― in the eyes of the public, to play down an investigation into the Ergenekon terror organization and to gather support for members of the military arrested as part of the inquest. This is not the first time that the TSK's anti-democratic face has been exposed, and many say that a full light must be shed on this incident and all responsible for this plan should be punished, not only for the sake of the TSK's dignity, but also in the name of democracy and supremacy of the law in Turkey.
Bugün's Erhan Başyurt expresses horror at the existence of such a TSK plan, saying that this plan invalidates Chief of General Staff Gen. İlker Başbuğ's statements in two April speeches regarding the TSK's perception of religion. In those speeches, Başbuğ said: "The TSK is not anti-religion, it is respectful of religion. The TSK is respectful toward democracy and the supremacy of law. The TSK does not engage in actions against any individual or organization that is not against the democratic regime." Recalling Başbuğ's remarks, Başyurt says the scandalous action plan renders Başbuğ's remarks meaningless because this plan foresees the removal of pious people from the military, aims to overthrow the democratically elected government and defends the supremacy of the military instead of judiciary. "There is a serious contradiction in question. Everyone's common will is the disclosure of facts and the punishment of the responsible parties. If the process to shed light on this plan progresses quickly, it will be less damaging for the TSK," says Başyurt.
In the wake of the appalling TSK plan, Star's Ergun Babahan says the TSK needs to undergo a radical process of reform because he thinks it inevitable for military officers who have been inculcated with certain ideas to see a segment of the public as an enemy to be disturbed at the nation's free will. "If Turkey is to become a power in its region, it needs a strong army as much as it needs a healthy democracy and strong economy. And the way to make this happen can only be possible through returning the army to its real business and rendering it answerable to a civilian authority," Babahan suggests.
According to Zaman's Mustafa Ünal, no law in any country, let alone Turkey, endows the military with the right to defame a governing party and set a trap for the citizens of the country. "There is a very big crime in question, one which cannot be denied," says Ünal. In his view, the AK Party is not the only target of this horrendous plan, and all the political parties should react to the TSK's plans to defame the government in order to prevent Turkey from witnessing such developments again.
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