Free Republic

As Reuters reports, at the height of the attempt to overthrow Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, the rebel pilots of two F-16 fighter jets had Erdogan's plane in their sights. And yet he was able to fly on. The government narrative, completely fabricated as it may be, is the following: Erdogan said as the coup unfolded that the plotters had tried to attack him in the resort town of Marmaris and had bombed places he had been at shortly after he left. He "evaded death by minutes", the second official said. Around 25 soldiers in helicopters descended on a hotel in...

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erodogan said Jan. 31 that the Gulenists in the country, which he dubs “the parallel structure,” have joined forces with the Israeli intelligence service. “The sincere people backing this parallel structure should see with whom this structure is cooperating with,” Erdogan said, while addressing a meeting of the All Industrialist and Businessmen’s Association (TUMSİAD) in Istanbul. “Shame on them if they still cannot see that this structure is cooperating with the Mossad,” he said. Erdoğan accuses the followers of the U.S.-based Islamic scholar Fethullah Gulen for illegal wiretappings and a “coup attempt,” starting from the revelation...

Link only...http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/library/news/turkey/2016/turkey-160716-presstv01.htm

After his Istanbul speech, many commentators suggest that Turkish coup attempt was “staged,” as the President called it a “gift from Allah.”Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan lands at Ataturk airport of Istanbul aster coup attempt: “Those who staged a coup attempt will pay the highest price, will answer for this treason.” Erdogan adds that this insurgency “is a blessing from Allah, because it will allow us to purge the military” from mutineers. “I was in Marmaris and they bombed there. They thought I was still there,” says Erdogan, that had vanished from the media the last days as he reportedly...

The Reichstag Fire of 27 February, 1933 When we described the aftermath of Turkey's failed, and painfully disorganized military coup attempt, we asked rhetorically, "Who wins?" To which we answered: "Why Erdogan of course. As he said during a press conference upon his arrival back in Istanbul in the early Saturday morning hours, the coup is an opportunity to "to purge the military." Erdogan also vowed to exact "the highest price" from the perpetrators. Or, to summarize, the military said Erdogan's power consolidation justifies the attempted coup; Erdogan said the coup justifies further consolidation of power." Overnight, when analyzing the...

A US-based Turkish cleric accused of plotting a coup to overthrow the Ankara government has claimed President Recep Erdogan staged the rebellion himself to justify a major clampdown on opposition forces. Fethullah Gulen, who was a former key ally of Erdogan has been blamed by the politician of using his contacts to develop a 'parallel structure' to overthrow the state.

Following a failed coup attempt mounted by Turkey’s military, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has reasserted his control over the country. After the botched attempt to overthrow the government which left more than 260 dead, Erdogan has set out to purge the judiciary and military. More than 2,700 judges have been removed and nearly 3,000 soldiers arrested. The Turkish military had announced late Friday night that it had taken over power from the government, declaring that a “peaceful council” had been established “in the name of democratic order.” Army units occupied two key bridges in Istanbul, shutting down traffic in...

Following the failed Turkish coup, U.S. military operations out of Turkey’s giant Incirlik Air Base - critical in the ongoing campaign against ISIS - came to a halt Saturday afternoon as the Turkish military closed the airspace around the base and suspended all US-led operations, mostly targeting the Islamic State. The also NYT adds that Turkish authorities on Saturday halted American-led strike missions against the Islamic State that are flying from the Incirlik air base, the first major impact of the coup on the broader allied campaign against the group.

The outcome of tonight’s apparent coup attempt in Turkey remains unclear, but the motivation for regime change in Turkey has been building under the surface for years. Turkey faces a perfect storm of economic, political and foreign policy problems. First, Turkey’s much-heralded economic growth spurt of the 2000’s has come to a grinding stop. The Erdogan boom, which inspired predictions that Turkey might emerge as another China, resembled the Asian experience less than it did the Latin American credidt bubbles of the 1980s or the American subprime bubble of the 2000s. I wrote last April 25: Turkey’s economy appears to...

Turkey is in chaos and the future does not bode well for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his allies regardless of whether Erdogan can wrest control from an army group that announced on Friday it has taken over the country.

Unfortunately it appears that Turkey’s military coup – which had admiral objectives -   “Turkish Armed Forces have completely taken over the administration of the country to reinstate constitutional order, human rights and freedoms, the rule of law and the general security.” failed. So constitutional order remains wobbly, human rights and freedoms remain subjugated to Islam, the rule of law continues to be subjugated to sharia and general security threatened. Obama is pleased the Islamic autocrat has triumphed. Birds of a feather, so to speak, although apparently not water proof.President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and President Barack Hussein Obama in the Rose Garden,...

As dawn broke in Istanbul on Saturday, Turkey's largest city, it was still unclear whether an attempt by the military to wrest control from President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had been successful. A defiant Erdogan addressed crowds in the city, telling them that the coup had been quashed. "The government is in control," he told supporters.

WASHINGTON -- A member of the Senate Intelligence Committee told CNN that the coup attempt in Turkey "came out of the blue" as the White House said the Islamist ruler of the country should be supported. "This is a real surprise to all of us," Sen. Jim Risch (R-Idaho) said as protesters began facing off with the Turkish military after they seized city centers and key points such as Ataturk airport in Istanbul. "An explosion like this was really unexpected." The Turkish Armed Forces issued a statement saying they have "completely taken over the administration of the country to...

Thousands of protesters have taken to the streets to confront the military after it announced it had take control of the country from the Government of President Recep Tayyip ErdoÄŸan. This is the dramatic moment a tank commander is dragged from the turret by angry Turkish protesters after a military coup has left the country in chaos.

A chill just went down my spine... What happens if Erdgogan demands that NATO re-install him into pawer? Would we have a scenario where European and US soldiers are ordered to shoot on the anti-erdogan forces?

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkey's armed forces said it "fully seized control" of the country Friday and its president responded by calling on Turks to take to the streets in a show of support for the government. A loud explosion was heard in the capital, Ankara, fighter jets buzzed overhead, gunfire erupted outside military headquarters and vehicles blocked two major bridges in Istanbul. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in an interview over FaceTime with the CNN Turk, dismissed the action as "an attempt at an uprising by a minority within our armed forces." His office declined to disclose his whereabouts saying...

See below for updates to this developing story. Izmir, Turkey: The Turkish military claims to have overthrown President Recep Tayyip ErdoÄŸan. In an official statement, the military adds that its first priority right now is to uphold the rule of law.My Turkish wife and I spent the last hour and a half walking back home from my in-laws' home. There was nothing to see on the streets of Izmir -- the third largest city in Turkey with a large Navy presence -- except the usual: a few Syrian beggars and normal Turks enjoying the warm weather (and a drink).When I...

ISTANBUL – Turkey's military announced on Friday night that the army had taken over “the entire management of the country to restore rule of law” as the country's prime minister admitted an “attempt” by a group within the military while falling short of calling the attempt a military coup. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, speaking by cell phone to CNN Turk from an unknown location, vowed that Turkey would "overcome this invasion" and called on Turks to "gather in squares and see what this minority can do with their tanks and artillery against the people." "Throughout history those who make...

The Turkish military has announced it has taken control and overthrown the government of Recep Erdogan as troops round up police and attack the capital Ankara. Eyewitnesses have reported attack helicopters firing machine guns in the capital Ankara in a bid to depose the Islamic government. The military said they have taken control in order to protect human rights, however, prime minister Binali Yildirim said only a 'faction' was involved. Fast attack jets and helicopters were heard above Ankara and Istanbul after the military confirmed they had seized control of the country,. Istanbul's Bosphorus Bridge and Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge...

Search "Turkey on Twitter": VIDEO: Military aircraft fly low over Ankara, #Turkey amidst military deployment in several cities. - @MuratKmr16 Now reports that there may be a nationwide military martial law declared by Turkish Army. Unconfirmed reports suggest. #Turkey