Turkey’s Higher Military Council (YAS) met under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Aug. 1 to make decisions on promotions of generals and admirals. Their choices provide important clues about the likely direction of US-Turkish relations.
Until some five or six years ago, the Turkish public would have been enthralled by a YAS meeting, held twice a year. The possible outcomes would have been debated for days on end. This year, however, the meeting lasted less than half a day instead of the typical three. On top of that, the decisions taken will significantly affect the organizational structure of the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) and the country’s sensitive civilian-military relations.