The General Staff’s description of a recently unearthed military plot named the “Sledgehammer Security Operation Plan” as a “scenario against external threats,” despite the fact that the plot includes hair-raising plans against supposed domestic threats, has brought the perception of domestic threats under the spotlight. Many think the real domestic threat in Turkey is the pro-junta structure within the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) and those making coup plans against the nation and the governments the nation brings to power.
According to Bugün’s Erhan Başyurt, the real domestic threat in Turkey is the junta and if there is a hierarchy of domestic threats, it is the junta that should top the list. Explaining his reasoning, he says: “Although the junta is formed through the secret cooperation of a group of individuals within the military, it hides behind the spiritual and institutional identity of the TSK.
It sees every way that will bring it closer to its goal as legitimate. The junta overthrew the chief of general staff in the 1960 coup, and it has made assassination plans against the chief of general staff as revealed in the Poyrazköy indictment; the junta is completely outside the chain of command. Bombing mosques, raiding military barracks and collaborating with terrorist organizations are ordinary activities for it.
Since the junta hides behind the TSK, it does the TSK most harm.” It is not only the TSK which the junta damages, says Başyurt, adding that the junta leads to instability by paving the way for economic crises, prevents Turkey from reaching the living standards of developed countries by constantly producing a policy of tension and disrupts peace in society.
Hence, he suggests that if Turkey can eliminate the junta, which is the most serious domestic threat, the way to democracy will be opened, peace will come to society, the economy will gain stability and the public will have more freedom and welfare. “So, what needs to be done is to open the doors of the judiciary to the junta. The prestige of the TSK and the future of Turkish democracy will be saved from threats this way,” contends Başyurt.
Star’s Eser Karakaş thinks it is possible to say, at the point we have reached today, that the TSK spends most of its energy and resources on the domestic threat perceptions and measures taken to fight this threat. “To be straightforward, there cannot be such a military; such an army’s capability to fulfill its real duties will diminish to a great extent. The capability of an army that sees its own citizens as a threat diminishes in taking effective measures against an external threat.
It is a fact that the domestic threat perception weakens the TSK each and every day,” explains Karakaş. Sabah’s Emre Aköz says the real domestic threat in Turkey is the people who prepare plots against domestic threats in the country, as with those who prepared the Sledgehammer plan.
He says the existence of a domestic threat is not actually important for these circles as they can create it themselves when they see its existence as necessary.
About the Author - Fatma D Zibak This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Today`s Zaman http://www.todayszaman.com
Do you want to see your ads here. 
Contact Didim Today for ads spaces.
