Free Republic

Former armed forces commander Ä°lker BaÅŸbuÄŸ stormed from an Istanbul courtroom on Tuesday and denounced his trial on coup plot accusations as an assault on the entire military leadership and a "black stain" on the country's history. General BaÅŸbuÄŸ's outburst on the second day of a terrorism trial was the most dramatic demonstration yet of tensions that have simmered between the armed forces and the prime minister, Tayyip ErdoÄŸan, who has reined in their influence since winning power in 2002. BaÅŸbuÄŸ, who headed the military between 2008-2010, declared the trial a "comedy" and said he did not recognize the judges'...