Can someone explain the role of army in Turkey?

Question

How come that army have so much influence there, since they are democracy (at least should be). Another thing: army is defender of secular tradition? That doesn't sound logical. Anyone with background on this?

Answer 1

Let me answer your question in different way.. In Turkey we are two parts..The problem is : ''How will we protect our secular-republic ? In democratic way or not_?

Answer 2

Whenever a military has that much influence in a nation-state's affairs, it isn't a defender of anything except it's own interests. It's a shadow junta.

Let's see, military coups in 1960, 1971, 1980, 1997 (the last one wasn't a full coup per se; the Army just ran tanks through the streets of Ankara til the Prime Minister resigned). Does that sound like how a democracy functions? Of course not.

Here's a pretty scathing indictment: http://archives.cnn.com/2000/WORLD/meast/09/11/turkey.soldiers.ap/

"Although the generals no longer intervene in the day-to-day running of Turkey, all crucial decisions seem to need their approval, and critics say the generals may be the greatest obstacle to Turkey becoming fully democratic and achieving its dream of European Union membership."

Which is more or less right on the money. When you defend any founding ideals - even legitimate ones - by usurping the popular mandate and by undermining the role of the judiciary and legislature, you're running nothing but a dictatorship.

No healthy developed nation has a military that has so much excessive control over the day-to-day affairs of a nation. It's never been healthy for a nation and all it does is create a fertile environment for fascism.

Even the United States, which has been run by the Christian Right for the last 8 years, never needed the military to intervene to separate Church and State. Only when the military remains silent in a nation will there be any hope for a real functional democracy.

Answer 3

In turkey army protects the democracy and the secular ideas also.

Answer 4

Hi,

I will explain something about Turkish Army,

Turks had been always good soldiers since the times of the Turkic States and during the Seljuk and Ottoman periods. Especially during the Ottomans, the famous Janissaries were feared by all Europeans. But towards the end of the Ottoman Empire a new army had to be found because the defeat of its allies determined the end of the Empire, with the country being invaded and its army disarmed.

The last major battle of the Turkish Army was in early 1920's under the command of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk during the Turkish independence war after World War I. Between 1920-1923 the Army had to fight against Russian and Armenian militaries on the Eastern front, against Italian, French, and British militaries on the Southern front, and against Greek military on the western front. Gallipoli War was one of the most dramatic and heroic one amongst all. During World War II Turkey managed to stay neutral and thus the Army did not participate in any conflict until the Korean War (1950–1953). Turkey participated to this war with an infantry brigade to fight solely for humanitarian purposes and for the ideal of UN, gaining the appreciation of the world. 731 Turkish soldiers were killed in action (KIA) in Korea.

Turkiye joined NATO on 18th of February 1952, and Allied Land Forces Southeastern Europe (LANDSOUTHEAST) was established same year in Izmir (JCSE - Joint Command Southeast today). To date, Turkiye has made a contribution of US$ 340 million to the NATO Infrastructure Fund since she has joined the NATO Infrastructure Program in 1953. In return, Turkey has received a share of nearly US$ 5.2 billion from the NATO infra funds. Today the number of NATO members reached from the original 12 to 26 (Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States).

On July 20th, 1974, Turkiye had to intervene to Cyprus as one of the peace Guarantor Powers (Turkey, Greece, Britain) on the Island according to International Treaties of 1958 in Zurich and 1959 in London, to end a coup sponsored by Greek paramilitary group EOKA (Ethniki Organosis Kyprion Agoniston, National Organization of Freedom Fighters) and still continues to maintain military presence there with the Cyprus Turkish Peace Forces connected to the Aegean Army.

You can visit that site;
http://www.allaboutturkey.com/army.htm

I am also agree with my friends (Ataman, Olcay and Hanibal Murat)

Regards

Answer 5

"Warning the government" is one the Turkish Army's job when they feel danger on laic republic, becoz its easy to misuse the religion(like the PM Recep Tayyip Erdoğan) and change the regime to islamic rules if a country have 99% muslim people.

It can be seem like a junta or military regime but its not. I support my army.

Good luck...

Answer 6

Attaturk was a great man!