What is happening in the Turkish military?
A Hurriyet article suggesting ongoing rumblings in the military appear to have been borne out by the official responses to it.
No one can question the centrality of civilian-military relations in Turkey’s political life. Early in the last century, a military republic assumed the legacy of a military empire. In the 93 years since, Turkey has experienced four military coups and three abortive attempts. For a third of that time, Turkey was under martial law, and until 2000, practically lived under military tutelage.
The coup attempt on the night of July 15, 2016, by a group of pro-Gulenist soldiers while other soldiers passively looked on has of course had various implications. A country pursuing negotiations for accession to the European Union and engaged in demilitarizing since 2003 was showing signs of reverting to interventionist tutelage driven by military mindsets and traditions.
