A coup foiled in Turkey?

Posted By Blake Hounshell Tuesday, July 1, 2008 - 8:31 AM Share

ADEM ALTAN/AFP/Getty Images

If you haven't been paying attention to Turkey, this news may come as a shock. Turkish police have arrested 24 people for allegedly plotting a coup against the government. Among the accused are two retired generals and the head of Ankara's chamber of commerce.

Also today, prosecutors formally moved to shut down the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) on the grounds that the prime minister is trying to establish an Islamic state, a no-no for a country founded by the staunchly secular Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.

We've seen this movie before, when the Turkish military forced a similar moderate Islamist party to resign in 1997 for the same basic reason. What's different this time is that the AKP has been a smashing success -- it has modernized the economy, enacted dozens of political reforms, and is hugely popular at the ballot box. What happens now is anybody's guess, but I'd be surprised if the military wins so easily this time.

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KIDZIB

7:56 AM ET

July 1, 2008

Not similar!

The AKP and Refah are two TOTALLY different parties. Erbakan was a sworn Islamist and totally out of his mind. In contrast, AKP was founded by Refah-affiliated politicians, but was not founded as an Islamist party! Furthermore, Erdogan is smart, able, and perfectly sane. Refah started bankrolling crazy Islamist schemes from the moment Erbakan's coalition took control. In contrast, AKP has followed a strictly secular agenda. Lifting the headscarf ban for universities was NOT a rebuke to secularism; it was a rebuke to laicitism, which is secularism on steroids. Erdogan and the AKP only want what American citizens have enjoyed for years: genuine religious freedom. Barring veiled women from schools and government offices is a violation of human rights. AKP isn't demanding that all women veil; it is simply wanting the same rights for veiled women that are enjoyed for unveiled women. This is a matter of equality, not Islamism! AKP and Erdogan are running the best political operation in Turkish history. To ban the party and its politicians would destroy Turkey's chances of ever joining the EU, isolate the country further, and just reinforce the belief held by so many Islamophobes and bigots that genuine democracy is impossible in the Muslim world. Let's hope that doesn't happen!

PROMETHEUS

5:05 PM ET

July 1, 2008

Agree.It is not the same.

Being a Turk with the Western values I am ashamed of the opportunitism and short sightedness of the so called Western countries and powers. The struggle running in Turkey is not the one for democracy,but which values will prevail.Western values or the middle eastern culture. Ironicly Turkey struggles to continue to stay in the west, despite of all the support from west to the idiologicly backward islamist powers in Turkey. Just because they are ready to give whatever they are imposed.Whereas liberals or the social democrats who have the western values have the saying to negotiate with their counterparts in EU or the USA. The talks of coup is redicilous.Calling these persons as ultra nationalist is something crazy.They are just secular guys with the western values. If we will talk of a coup, we'd better look to how Ecevit government was overtrown and led to an early election after heavy economicly measures which was destined to a political suicide.It was the coup and the beginning of this backward regime dreaming government.By suprise they simply coincided with the global economicl up turn!!!and now it is presented as the succes of this government. I am as a person who was the champion for joining to EU,if it will cost me my western values and life style, let it go.Neverthless nobody can make us as a part of middle east. By the way I am not a secular rich elit as we are presented in the western press, but someone from the mid class.:))) Nowadays rich guys and elits here are those who wear scarf from Prada.:)) last but not least for some reason as a man if you will have a high ranking in the governmental bodies, your wife has to wear scarf.It should be just coincidence.:))) The enlightment of Ataturk will prevail.

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