[pkpjamestown]

Elections in Turkey? So what!

[Arkinsaw]

They ran the Islamist parties out of power. Islamists use the levers of democracy for the purpose of destroying it and instituting a Sharia state. If the German Army had ran the duly elected Hitler out of power Germans would have been a lot better off.

[pkpjamestown]

"The interlacing of the army and big business actually goes far beyond that. Both the Aid Organisation for Members of the Military (OYAK) and the Foundation for the Stabilisation of the Turkish Security Forces (TSKGV) enjoy tax-exempt status as non-profit organisations. In reality, both have long since become large enterprises and maintain shares in numerous European and American corporations, including Goodyear, Mobil, Shell, Renault and Tuerk Telekom.

The military stands to profit from a restructuring of the Turkish economy along the lines proposed by the IMF. Some generals and MHP ministers, however, oppose for nationalist reasons any far-reaching opening up of strategic sectors of the economy to international capital."

[marron]

Turkey has to choose between joining the EU, and retaining its sovereignty. Thats only obvious. Having a military that counts is part of being a sovereign country, with an independent foreign policy. You won't need that after you join the EU.

[spetznaz]

Ping.