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Turkey Coup D’état – Here’s Why President Erdogan Could Have Staged The Drama



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Jul 17 2016
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European Union appears to be crumbling after Brexit. People have been blaming Brexiteers for the collapsing British Pound. Actually, they should worry more about the Euro than the British currency. Without UK, the EU will not be the same again. As radical Islamic terrorists get bolder in terrorizing EU, it’s a matter of time before the union disintegrates.

 

Make no mistake about the Nice truck attack which killed 84 people, including 10 children. It wasn’t the last terror attack that the world would witness. It was just the beginning. While the French authorities are running around like headless chickens trying to connect the puzzle, ISIS terror group could be plotting the next attack already.

Turkey - NATO Members and Military Bases - Map

Turkey is the only majority Muslim member of the NATO alliance. As a Muslim country, Turkey is considered one of the most stable countries in the Middle East, although terrorist attacks experienced by this nation could easily put many EU countries to shame. If the latest coup attempt in Turkey had succeeded, not only NATO but EU would be seriously affected.

 

First thing first, was the coup d’état to overthrow Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan real? Not that military coup d’état is something new to this country considering that it had happened in 1960, 1971, 1980 and 1997, but the Friday’s coup attempt is very much puzzling. Could the whole coup a drama staged by none other than President Erdogan himself?

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan

The coup attempt, which Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım called an “illegal attempt” to seize power by “part of the military”, has failed. At least 265 people were killed and 1,440 were wounded. The state-run Anadolu Agency, citing unnamed military sources, says the leader of the attempted coup is Colonel Muharrem Kose.

 

Kose, who headed the military’s legal advisory department, was dismissed from the position a short time ago. Turkish media also pointed fingers at General Akin Ozturk, the former commander of the Turkish Air Force, who retired from the military in August 2015, but who continued to serve as a member of the Supreme Military Council.

General Akin Ozturk (Retired) – Turkish Air Force Commander

Turkey Military Coup D'état - General Adem Huduti and Lieutenant-General Metin Iyidil

General Erdal Ozturk - Commander of Turkish Third Army

Three army generals, Erdal Ozturk, Adem Huduti and Avni Angun, alongside Lieutenant-General Metin Iyidil, the Combat and Support Training commander of the Land Forces Training and Doctrine Command, were also accused as plotters. In short, nobody knows who the actual leader is. Regardless, Erdogan conveniently blames Fethullah Gulen and suspends 5 generals and 29 colonels.

 

Fethullah Gulen, a former ally of President Erdogan, went into self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania, U.S. Of course, Mr Gulen rejected any suggestion he had links to the coup attempt, calling the attempted coup “strange and interesting”. But if Gulen had indeed plotted the event in America, CIA would have known about it, and to do nothing to stop it means Obama indirectly approved the coup.

Fethullah Gulen - Self-Imposed Exile in Pennsylvania, U.S.

However, if Mr. Gulen was involved, with CIA’s blessing, they should know that to do a “Thai’s Thaksin” on President Erdogan would fail miserably. The basic plan should include sufficient resources (armed forces) to fully take over television stations, telcos, airports, police stations, military intelligence and Member of Parliaments, of which it didn’t.

 

Being United States’ most important Muslim ally in the Middle East with a military base in Incirlik, the U.S. intelligence would have known about the coup. However, Obama administration was reportedly caught off guard over the coup attempt. The fact that the coup was poorly planned eliminates the possibility that the U.S. intelligence was outsmarted.

United States CIA - Central Intelligence Agency

It’s a public knowledge that the Turkish military, which in the past has seen itself as protecting a secular state, is no longer a stronghold. Therefore, the Turkish military cannot possibly benefit from attempting such a coup, simply because 52% of Turks who voted for Erdogan in 2014 wouldn’t stand still and do nothing about a military junta.

 

For hours it was unclear where President Erdogan was during the coup although he was reportedly on holiday at the Aegean resort of Marmaris, deep in Turkey’s south-west. For some strange reason, the plotters didn’t fully take control of CNN Turk hence allows Erdogan to contact the station using Apple iPhone’s Facetime and appeared in a video call, urging Turks to take to the streets.

Turkey Military Coup D'état - President Erdogan on Apple iPhone Facetime - Turk CNN

Like it or not, the coup attempt appears to have been very poorly planned and executed. It was as if the coup attempt was doomed to fail before it started. There’s only one reason why the Turkish coup plot fails miserably. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan could have staged the whole thing himself from the beginning.

 

With so much fire power unleashed – 265 killed, 1,440 wounded, 2,839 detained, tanks, helicopters, fighter jets – Erdogan can now easily justify what he wanted. He knows that the only person who can threaten his throne is Islamic preacher Fethullah Gulen. There’s been a relentless purge of Mr Gulen’s loyalists within the police, civil service and military.

Turkey Military Coup D'état - People Taking Over Military Tank

Using a coup to incite the people into despising military, Erdogan can clamp down even more on perceived opponents, including those not aligned to Fethullah Gulen. Already, a staggering 2,745 judges have been fired by the Turkish president after the so-called failed coup d’état. It’s a brilliant strategy because the U.S. can be pressured to hand-over Gulen.

 

His ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has long been accused of seeking to impose conservative Islamic values. He tries to further “Islamises” society by restricting alcohol sales, curbing the Internet and even trying to ban mixed-sex dorms at state universities. Heck, he even declared – “We will wipe out Twitter” – because Twitter was accused of censoring #WeLoveErdogan.

US-Style Presidency - Erdogan Dreamed Of Commander-in-Chief

President Recep Erdogan has ruled for 13 years since 2003 when he was first elected Prime Minister. His reign came to an end in 2014 because his own party’s rules prevented him from seeking a fourth term. He ran for president in 2014 – and won – but the position was largely a ceremonial role. So, he tried to change that by altering the constitution to give him more power.

 

He has dreamed of not only ruling Turkey the dictator-style but also changing the constitution to give Turkey a US-style executive presidency. As Turkey’s first Commander-in-Chief, President Erdogan would ultimately control the Turkish Armed Forces, estimated with strength of 639,551 as of 2015.

Erdogan’s New Palace – 1,150 Rooms At US$615 Million - Erdogan Inspecting Guard of Honour

Erdogan’s New Palace – 1,150 Rooms At US$615 Million

But his vast new US$615 million presidential palace with 1,150 rooms and a botanical garden has been ridiculed as an absurd, tasteless extravagance. Russian had disclosed photos proving the ISIS terrorists actually sell crude oil to Erdogan’s son, Bilal, below market price. It’s not hard to see why Erdogan is consolidating power to build his dynasty.

 

Sure, it’s mind-boggling that the coup attempt happened just 2 weeks after Turkey befriended Israel and Russia (again). That’s the beauty of Erdogan’s “theatre”. Now everybody would think American CIA was behind the coup because Turkey-Russia relationship is back to normal. But that’s precisely why Erdogan suddenly chose to apologise to Putin – a reverse psychology game.

Turkey - Sultan Recep Tayyip Erdogan

Obsessed with authoritarianism, a staged coup could divert public attention from his scandals as well as entrench and enhance Erdogan’s executive power. Erdogan has ousted political opponents, intimidated journalists and overseen the arrest of thousands on charges of criticizing him. He is just inches to become a modern-day Sultan ruling a new era of Ottoman Empire.

 

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