Turkey suspends generals linked to alleged coup plot

The Telegraph ^ | 11/25/2010

[markomalley]

Turkey has suspended two generals and an admiral linked to an alleged plot to stage a military coup, according to reports.

The three were named in the investigation of an alleged plan to oust the government led by the Islamist-rooted Justice and Development Party (AKP), newspapers said, adding it was the first time the government had suspended serving officers.

The trial of around 200 members of the military implicated in the 2003 plot is expected to start December 16.

Conspirators are accused of planning attacks on mosques and to provoke tension with neighbour Greece, hoping to trigger instability and setting the stage for the ousting of the government.

The government is seen by some sections of the military as favouring Islamisation while the military views itself as the guardian of the secular foundations of the country.

[markomalley]

The Islamist government in Turkey is in desperate need of a coup. Hopefully other senior military officers will take the place of those suspended.

[nickcarraway]

MMMM, turkey.

[Gay State Conservative]

I've read that the Turkish military has a history of preserving secularism in government which,in a moslem country,is a *very* good thing.My understanding is that the current Turkish gov’t,unlike past ones,is a filthy moslem radical one.Let's hope that the military succeeds in flushing these radical turds down the toilet so that comparative reason can return there.

[USNBandit]

It’s happened before, but it appears the islamists got smart and preempted any coup with a coup of their own.

[knarf]

I had to think twice about that headline.

[Stormdog]

“I had to think twice about that headline.”

That makes two of us. I was thinking more along the lines of rope dancing.

[Sergio]

This is troubling, the military has always been the protector of Turkey's modern secular constitution. If they defanged the military leadership, Turkey may well be on the road to becoming another islamic theocracy.

Turkey has already said that they would act against Israel should IDF troops enter Lebanon. Of course, Turkey has no issues with Syria entering Lebanon.