Turkey's powerful armed forces chief has warned that "centers of evil" are trying to undermine the secular state.
Gen. Yasar Buyukanit did not name those who were "trying to corrode the secular nature of the Turkish Republic".
His statement comes a day before MPs are expected to elect Abdullah Gül, a former Islamist, as president. His candidacy remains highly controversial.
The army sees itself as the guardian of Turkey's secularism. It has ousted four governments in the past 60 years.
This is the second warning issued by the army in recent months.
In April, it expressed its concern after Mr Gül - the ruling Islamist-rooted AK Party candidate - only marginally failed to gain enough support from MPs to become president in a first round.
Abdullah Gül has pledged to respect Turkey's institutions.
The following stand-off between the AKP and secularist parties in parliament sparked a political crisis that led to early elections in July.
The AKP won those polls convincingly, and again nominated Mr. Gül, currently the foreign minister, for the post of president.
Mr. Gül - who has failed to gather enough votes in the first two rounds - is expected to be elected in the third round on Tuesday.
Turkey's military and secular establishment have voiced their opposition to Mr. Gül, a devout Muslim who, they believe, has an Islamist agenda.
Mr. Gül denies that, and has vowed to remain loyal to the country's secular constitution.
Source: BBC
12 comments:
I don't think, Turksih army will do anything! They just trying to send a message to new Presedent::)
but the message sounds harsh..(((
Walking through Istanbul with my Turkish friend last year, a secular woman, I watched as she was shunned by women with scarves who turned their backs on her.
The rise of the AK party is giving the more religious Turks the support and impetus to force the country into an Islamist state.
The election of Gul will only split the country further. He may be a moderate but he encourages and emboldens the more fundamental elements.
It could have the effect that the military will feel the need to step in again to change the government. Look at the harsh language in the warning the military issued just yesterday. That would be a disaster to their EU hopes and for the economy.
JG-
Brooklyn, USA
I live for 5+ years in Istanbul, deal with all kind of societies in daily life. But I don't dare to make such a bold statement as you do, as an American, wher I lived for 6 years...
But anyway, you Americans have the knowledge, not the wisdom...
cheers
Hans, bold statements are your parlance, my man... I'm gonna try my hand in the practice, too. Europeans have all the wisdom in the world, but not the knowledge. This is especially true in their approach to political Islam & democracy. How aboutr that now?
Unfortunately, John has a point; rather he put his thumb right on how things are most likely to get out of hand in Turkey (if they would).
Sorry Nihat, it looks like you do live in US, Europeans have the wisdom and the knowledge.
You must be living in wrong part of the world to learn knowledge and wisdom!
Yes maybe Hans was bit harsh on peregnine's statement; Gul or the Army won't spit any goverment!
Nothing will happen, no one will them do so!
Peregnine: We do have no hopes joining EU anyway, we past that ambition:) Too big country, too populated, too muslim! Wanted ones, we're doing ok alone, as EU will be corrapted by 30years nowon after Romanians and Bulgarians joined:)
nihat, stick to the topic. I am not amused by your personal attacks all the time.
I am not pessimistic about Turkey's future at all. As long as the army don't interfere.
And Derya, Turkey will join the EU..))
Oh well, Hans, I was right on the topic. I am not amused by your 'bold' (and often personal) attacks on people who are not eye-to-eye with you, either. But this is your turf; I'll stay away. Thanks for your hospitality so far.
Yes, Derya, I am in the USA, and hardly think that this is the wrong side of world. Cheap shots at Americans (their stupidity, etc.) has started to get at me, too.
Is wisdom something a wise person should claim to have?
Nihat,
I am here with my full profile, face, email address, etc.
Call me whatever you want, but this blog is not supervised, there are 3 writers with totally different opinions...are you used to that?
Soon, an American Turkish/Greek Cyprot will join and a French/Italian living in Armenia, and to make it more difficult for you, a German in Georgia..))
We will see who is truly open.
But you have a safe heaven in Emre his place.
Be happy in the Heartlands...
Hans, I am very well used to that. The question is, are you? If you are, why did you have to make a blanket statement about Americans in response to an American's rather compactly and respectfully expressed thoughts?
Though I am starting to feel like Americans in general, as I said above, I wouldn't jump to defend them for nothing, as they are perfectly capable of defending their positions. In this case, I did because, you know perfectly well, I share the fears expressed by John above. And I know you think those fears are unfounded. But this doesn't give you the right to knock 'em down as unwise.
Also, how wise is it to talk behind people's back? Derya? What do you think? Ah, if only those corrupt Romanians and Bulgarians were kept out of the EU...
If this is the level of discussion welcome in this forum, then, please at least don't use words like knowledge and wisdom, or tolerance of different opinions.
Nihat, can you be more open, so I can answer your questions! What talking behind people's back, are you talking about, didn't get you mate! Be more specific.
What I meant, Turkey deserded far before those corrupted Romanians and Bulgarians to join the EU. But EU need cheap labor isn't it?, not whoping great 70 million Muslim nation strecthing to Iran, Iraq or Syria!
Derya, Romania and Bulgaria were and still are far from ready to join the EU. btw, they can not work in europe...
Turkey is also not ready.
Nihat, I made a bold statement as reaction on a bold statement here.
As you can see here, people are not fighting here, but discussing.
lets keep it that way.
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