Militarism and its political subcontractor, the CHP
A strange, unique country, Turkey that is.
Although he was the leader of a military coup during which thousands went through torture and people under-18 were hanged, Kenan Evren was not accused of “violating democracy.” However, now, he is accused of expressing his thought. Moreover, he is under investigation for being a “separatist” on account of an action that he did not attempt but thought during the coup period he led.
Meanwhile, in a television program among smiling journalists, former Chief of General Staff, Gen. Doğan Güreş, said proudly, “When I told [Necmettin] Erbakan ‘when workers are marching towards Kızılay, nothing happens, but if some others come to Kızılay, you might be out of here,’ he didn’t say a word but went pale,” and added: “Now, a situation similar to the period before Feb. 28 coup exists. The Justice and Development Party (AKP) better be wise…”
What do all these mean?
There are two sides to the story. The first one is very clear. It is created by several media institutions overvalue or even encourage and applaud such remarks and ask for trouble.
The second side points to a certain type of mentality, the mentality of “doing politics with a military logic.”
In fact, whenever I hear a retired general, I pay attention to how he says rather than what he says and I look into his mentality. Frankly, I am always startled by the type of crude logic they build, their pragmatism based on information about the military and public order and their pragmatism that is far away from the idea of society, dialogue, accord, principle and jurisprudence.
The reason why I get startled is not just because such logic rules the country in coup periods and defines itself as an ideal way of governing, but at the same time it dominates the internal dynamics of the state during normal periods.
Such a perspective not only creates a problem but is also part of the problem itself.
You need examples?
There goes a remark of a retired general … said Güreş: “The Presidency acts like a valve. For instance, President Ahmet Necdet Sezer opened the valve by vetoing some draft laws and practices of the government, so prevented reaction. If Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is elected president, such mechanism will cease to exist. Tensions will boom. Chaos is possible…”
In brief, Güreş means that “the most significant tool of governance is Çankaya. Though with democratic channels, if this structure changes, chaos appears, and the military will react…”
What is desired here, in order to prevent chaos and military reaction, is there a person whom he approves of for Çankaya. The formula is simple, “If you don’t do what I say, chaos will occur, which means I will intervene and you will be responsible for it…”
What is pathetic here is the political subcontractor of this policy, namely the Republican People’s Party (CHP). CHP leader Deniz Baykal the other day said: “Erdoğan’s move to Çankaya would bring chaos. … If Erdoğan becomes a presidential candidate, we could take this to the Constitutional Court. Then, what a big chaos comes around. … That’s why reconciliation is imperative…”
If even the political subcontractor follows a policy of threats, you go ahead and figure out the point we have arrived…