Posted on 06/18/2017 8:04:10 AM PDT by Texas Fossil
Vocal Europe news site has published an interview based on an extensive, full of inquiries and recorded conversation with five former Turkish Senior Officers, from Armed Forces, Air Forces and Navy, who served at SHAPE and NATO Headquarters in Belgium and who were purged after the attempted coup on 15 July last year.
The interview gives place to the five officers' opinions on the coup attempt of 15th July 2015, and confessions on the situation of the Turkish army. The officers state that the Turkish army has been suffering heavy losses, and hold Erdoğan's supporters responsible for the deadlock with regard to the Kurdish question.
“EUPHRATES SHIELD WAS A MESS IN THE END”
The officers stated that the Turkish government, a couple of weeks after 15th of July, intervened in Syria just to show to the public that “we have a strong military” and to keep this narrative, saying; “The result was loss of lives of comrades and military equipment. Even the Operation Euphrates Shield was captured as a great success at pro-Erdogan media, with Erdoganist generals commanding the whole operation without a real understanding of strategic context and operational planning; it was a mess in the end. Sadly, this massive purge will have long term implications for the Turkish military, as the gap in human resources cannot be fixed on short term. Can you imagine a NATO army waiting for orders where it does not have people with required experience in the command chain?”
“MANY DIED DUE TO THE GOVERNMENT'S MISTAKES ON THE KURDISH ISSUE”
The officers continued; “It should be said as well that there was a massive resentment among the public and the armed forces against President Erdogan due to the failing of the Kurdish peace process and particularly due to the developments that happened afterwards. Lots of people have died, because of the mistakes committed by the government in handling the Kurdish issue.”
The officers claimed that those purged generals and offices had liberal visions to solve long-awaited Kurdish issue, they believed in democratic ways for solving this issue rather than using military might.”
“PRO-ERDOĞAN GENERALS COMMANDED THE OPERATIONS IN THE KURDISH REGION”
“I personally remember one of the jailed and tortured top brass begging Army Command to stop shelling Sur in Diyarbakir because of civilian losses. Sadly, pro-Erdogan generals commanded those operations in Diyarbakir and Sirnak.”
According to the officers, if the purged generals – almost half of the total number of Turkish generals – 160 out of 324 – would have been involved in the planning, command and execution of the coup, they would have succeeded.
“NATO WILL HAVE A MEMBER ARMY FULL OF EXTREMISTS AND SALAFISTS”
The officers pointed out another crucial development; that all those AK Party linked Islamists who were isolated from military many years ago are now being re-nominated to critical positions in the Army. They said: “Many of these people are now in charge of selection committees of armed forces where newcomers are asked about whether they pray five times a day and they are even asked the prayer. More importantly, if you have a recommendation letter from any AKP’s official, you get the job without being checked whether you fit to the description of the vacancy. This will certainly have a tremendous negative impact on the Army. And if the current setting will continue, we think that NATO will have, in two or four years, a member Army full of extremists and Salafists.”
“ERDOĞAN KILLS THE IDEA OF DEMOCRATIC SOLUTION TO THE KURDISH ISSUE”
Regarding the Trump administration’s decision to supply heavy weapons to the YPG, the Turkish officers stated that Erdogan’s criticism against this decision of Trump administration to supply PYD with heavy weapons was very moderate, and would have been different had it been the Obama Administration.
The officers said: “But YPG is part of Turkey’s Kurdish issue as well. Many of the purged generals and officers whom we know – and whom are currently arrested or dismissed – have very liberal ideas; they are supportive of the approach in taking new steps for a viable solution of the Kurdish issue. They tried to stop pro-Erdogan generals from conducting operations that targeted innocent people, women and children in the South East of Turkey. When seeing so many areas, villages and cities destroyed by artilleries… this was just heartbreaking. All these places ruined just because their residents were Kurds. The remaining generals and top brass are hardliners with regard to the Kurdish issue. Hence, President Erdogan did purge not only the officers who wanted to solve the Kurdish issue in a peaceful way, but he also kills the idea of solving the Kurdish issue in a democratic way.”
The article says it's been a disaster.
I compare the problem to the one we see in news coverage of this Middle East. Only people close to the action and on the ground can possibly determine what is real and what is lies. Even then it is difficult.
I believe this article is accurate in describing the Turkish Military abuses and causes.
In the long-run, I expect three things to occur:
1. Balal Erdogan (the son) will likely become the replacement dictator even though he’s being pursued by Italy’s legal system on money laundering.
2. Some massive door will swing up and at least one million Turks will leave.
3. Some odd NATO versus Warsaw Pact-type organization will emerge out of the Middle East, with Turkey siding with Iran and Qatar. Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Egypt will form the opposing side, and serious economic troubles will come out of this. Russia and the US will each try to sell tons of hardware to the players of this game.
“Russia and the US will each try to sell tons of hardware to the players of this game.”
Ding, ding, ding! Winner!
I think China and India may also seek an enterprise, but rich oil seikhs and mullahs don’t want inferior knockoffs.
Try? Didn’t Trump just agree to sell 1.5 billion in arms to the Saudis who them promptly cut off diplomatic relations with Qatar and expelled all their diplomats and nationals?
I see no fault in your logic.
I think it is tragic that the Globalist are trying to prevent Trump from any cooperation between US and Russia.
Russia is insane to deal with Iran. The mullahs will nuke Israel if they can. They cannot be threatened into ending that quest.
Long ago, I read that the last battle would be in Iran. None of us can see the future in time perspective, but Iran is purely evil at the top. Not the Persian people, but the Mullahs in charge. (thanks to inept Jimmy Carter)
Thanks for a great pic.
Yes it is such a situation.
Can a reprieve happen? It is possible. In the end, it is doubtful. But we must try.
SA and Israel??
Your enemy is my enemy, so we are allies?
Iran is the common threat.
This supports the idea of Israel promoting Kurdistan. If SA supports it is not all bad. Wahabbism is ALL BAD.
Saudi Arabia wish to remain “Saudi” so yes, enemy of my enemy is my friend applies here.
I suppose you are right about the Iranis, I used to be sure they were the focus of evil in the modern world, but on the other hand we are lied to an awful lot.
Many in Iran long for the old days under the Sha.
I started using Twitter chasing news during the #IranElection phase in 2009. I knew some fine young people then who went silent or ended soon after the mullahs regained control.
“Wahabbism is ALL BAD.”
Poor Wahabbists that want to rule using 7th century tactics and weapons are bad. Rich Wahabbists that purchase multi-billion American weaponry are good. Learn to differentiate. It makes good business sense.
If they are willing to adjust their past habbits in order to survive, it might be worth it.
If not, it won’t.
I get your point and concede the point.
Although the Wahabbist long-term goal is Islamic world domination, their immediate goal is to survive the Shite Persian and Turkic onslaught on Arab Sunnism.
No dispute on that.
I’m no fan, but I do strongly support Israel and the Kurds (some more than others).
Nations like Egypt are old allies and as long as good leadership prevails are good partners in ending Terrorist.
It is honestly in SA’s interest too to end Terrorist. In order to accomplish that, they will have to change their own strategy.
“It is honestly in SA’s interest too to end Terrorist. In order to accomplish that, they will have to change their own strategy.”
I think the Saudis want to contain terrorism so that it does not affect themselves. So, they do not want powerful neighboring terrorists like Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas. But, they are fine with far-away Sunni Terrorism. In fact, they continue to fund them. I think it is crucial to distinguish between their support for terrorism far from their shores and their fear of terrorism in their own neighborhood.
Point taken.
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