U.S., EU warn Turkish military to avoid politics

[Raskolnik]

By Christopher Torchia
Associated Press
Published May 3, 2007

ISTANBUL -- The United States and European Union on Wednesday warned Turkey, a NATO member and close ally, to prevent its military from defying civilian leaders in a conflict between the Islamic-rooted government and the secular establishment.

Fears of a coup have ebbed with the prospect of early general elections, but the military's threat to intervene in the showdown and stamp out any sign of political Islam has confirmed its traditional role as a key player in Turkish politics.

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http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0705020824may03,1,7033000.story?coll=chi-newsnationworld-hed

Its weird preferring a military coup to the democratic process, but there it is.

[Igel]

1. Yep. I've thought that myself.

But the "democracy is always appropriate" crowd blew it with Iraq.

I'm definitely a raskol'nik wrt the true believers on this one.

[DavidDvorkin]

2. Turkey is a special case

Because of the constitutionally mandated duty of the army to protect the secularism of the state.