Military rule

Categories: Politics

This story pretty well summarizes the state of affairs in Turkey; it’s a country with two ruling factions. The military is very wary of Islamic rule and has in the past led coups to prevent Islamic government. The most recent military action was in 1997. The current government is rooted in political Islam. What Turkey does will depend on who wins the current power struggle, and it may be a military victory.

Remember these things when you claim that Turkey is a supporter of the US war on Iraq. That support rests on the willingness of the military to overthrow the legitimately elected government.

Comments

  • Steven Kaye

    Nicole and Hugh Pope's Turkey Unveiled: A History of Modern Turkey has a good discussion of the various army coups and the role of Islam in modern Turkey.

  • Bryant

    Thanks -- I'll look that up. I've been wanting a good book on the subject lately. The Amazon reviews are wildly mixed, I see. That's a sign of something... oh yes; that Turkey is a controversial topic.