Some lost their balance when the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) was not closed down.

- 05 / 08 / 2008 07:14

Huseyin Gulerce

Many -- ranging from columnists whose only ability is to provoke the military and drag it into political affairs to the Republican People's Party (CHP) -- have expressed their discomfort with the decision.  There are a lot of strange men who sigh, asking, "Where is the old military, roaring like a lion?" and express their disappointment in the military. The CHP administration is bedazzled. All calculations were made on the closure of the AK Party and the banning of Prime Minister Erdoğan from politics. Because they did not have a goal to attract people's support, now they are looking for someone to blame. The first target became the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK).

At a press conference CHP parliamentary group deputy chairman Kemal Kılıçdroğlu said, "I am of the opinion that there are warm relations between the government and the military." Why does he hold this view? He thinks this because "it was interesting considering the size of the military that no anti-secularism file was referred to the Supreme Military Council [YAŞ]." The CHP is upset.

It seems that disagreement between the military and the government is what the CHP is looking for. The party is simply asking to have the role that it expected to save the country in the aftermath of a serious disagreement between the state's constitutional institutions. This is such a pathetic expectation for a political party.

The CHP spokesman relies on Internet site rumors as documentation and evidence of the CHP's allegations. He argues that an armored vehicle was reserved for a chief of general staff who will retire soon as a gift. Of course, such arrogance elicited a response. The General Staff issued a response in a few hours to the remarks by this "spokesman of a political party." "It is an unfortunate and arrogant statement seeking to garner political benefit at the expense of the Turkish Armed Forces," the General Staff stated.  

Would you take a look at the slap the CHP received after making such a huge investment in the military? But why is this happening? Unfortunately, in this country some civilian politicians, university and judiciary members have for years worked hard to establish a military guardianship regime -- and they still are. They never made any effort to make sure that the military performed its primary job or to consolidate democracy. Even the coups have been prepared by those who held this mentality and by the supportive media in this country. The AK Party closure case is included in this.

However, the international system and the current state of Turkey and the world put emphasis on democratization -- and nothing else. There will absolutely be a price to pay for struggling to reverse the tide at a time when such noble notions as rule of law, separation of powers, individual rights and religious freedom have come to the fore.

The fundamental error of the CHP is to rely on power centers rather than the popular choice. Otherwise, how could we explain the eagerness of a main opposition party to act as the advocate of a lawsuit that will most likely facilitate the illumination of many murders whose perpetrators are still at large?

The CHP administration should reconsider their curret situation. They have to give up on relying on a politics of tension and inciting the military for the sake of a modern democratic system that befits Turkey. This call includes the ninth president, Süleyman Demirel. He should also give up on statements provoking the military forces. Remarks such as "Power is shown in the form of 'We can influence even the military'" are not appropriate for a former president. Who performs this show of power? The state's prosecutors prepared an indictment; the judges accepted it and the trial process started. Why are you engaging in provocation? Nobody gave you the right to speak on behalf of the people. Why don't you show the respect that the General Staff showed the judiciary?

In this country, democratization depends on the rearrangement of civilian-military relations in accordance with the spirit of democracy. All should make efforts to this end.