The media stepped up their criticism yesterday of Gen. Babaoglu, who continued to play golf at a hotel in Antalya after a terrorist attack in eastern Turkey killed 17 soldiers last Friday.

Call for Babaoglu's resignation - 11 / 10 / 2008 10:25

Politicians and the media stepped up their criticism yesterday of Air Forces Commander Gen. Aydogan Babaoglu, who continued to play golf at a hotel in Antalya after a terrorist attack in eastern Turkey killed 17 soldiers last Friday.

Babaoglu came under harsh criticism from the media, with photos showing him playing golf appearing in many newspapers over the past few days alongside critical comments.

Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) parliamentary group chairman Oktay Vural said yesterday that those who head institutions waging a war against terrorism should pay the utmost attention to their remarks, as well as venues in which they appear.

"I think the necessary attention should be given to this, and everyone should behave carefully and speak carefully," added Vural.

Responding to media criticism earlier this week, Babaoglu said although the news of the death of Turkish soldiers did not reach him immediately that day, he personally -- in cooperation with Ankara -- gave the orders for the operation launched later.

"Should I have gone to Aktutun, then, to placate the people who have criticized me?" Babaoglu asked then.

Another critical comment came from Deputy Prime Minister Cemil Cicek yesterday.

Cicek said: "No matter which post we occupy, there is always someone watching us," noting that actions which normally would not draw any reaction from society incite criticism when the country is passing through sensitive times.

Friday's attack on the Aktutun outpost in the eastern province of Hakkari, one of the deadliest attacks perpetrated by the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), plunged the entire nation into a state of grief, with everyone calling on authorities to take the necessary measures to prevent such killings from happening again. In the meantime Chief of General Staff Gen. Ilker Basbug, who paid a visit to MHP headquarters yesterday, remained silent in the wake of questions about Babaoglu.

On Wednesday, the General Staff responded to the increasing criticism of Babaoglu with a statement in which it called the criticism unjust, saying that Babaoglu had received no information about the Aktutun attack until Saturday evening.

Because the General Staff had already released information on the attack to the public on Saturday morning, which was then widely covered in the media, the statement caused the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) to draw even more criticism from the media, which called the statement implausible and even ridiculous.

Media demands for Babaoglu's resignation increase

Vatan daily's Gungor Mengi suggested that Babaoglu should resign in order to protect both his dignity and that of the TSK.

"It is unthinkable for a commander to have no information about a terrorist attack in which 17 soldiers were killed for 24 hours. I can imagine how Babaoglu feels about his bad luck, but he has to make a sacrifice by resigning. He should not make the TSK carry his burden; he should resign to protect the TSK," Mengi stated in his column yesterday.

Star daily's Samil Tayyar called on Babaoglu to apologize to the nation instead of trying to cover up his mistake.

"Come on and admit your mistake. Being able to apologize is a virtue. You make more blunders while trying to cover up your faults," wrote Tayyar yesterday.

Another columnist from the Radikal daily, Ismet Berkan, said if things can proceed in the air forces without Babaoglu, it means that Turkey does not need an air forces commander.

"If the things that need to be done can continue in his absence and if war planes take off and hit targets across the border without his notice and then return back to the country safe and sound, this unfortunately means that Turkey does not need an air forces commander," Berkan said, implicitly calling on Babaoglu to resign.

CHP demands inquiry into construction of golf courses on air bases

Republican People's Party (CHP) deputy Atilla Kart demanded a parliamentary inquiry into allegations that Babaoglu, a golf enthusiast, had costly golf courses constructed on nine air bases throughout Turkey.

A news report published in the Vakit daily on Thursday reported the TSK, which complained about financial difficulties in relocating some outposts in risky areas in the wake of Aktutun attack, funded the construction of golf courses at nine air bases and one military academy.

"Such spending [on golf courses] would mean, at best, a lack of respect for the memory of our martyrs," said Kart.

Kart directed some questions about these golf courses to Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul.

Today's Zaman