Kamil Pasha

At the Supreme Military Council’s (YAS) annual meeting promotions and retirements are announced. The decisions of this year’s 4-day meeting, held last week, are awaiting President Gul’s signature to take effect. Ordinarily, officers under suspicion of leading a pious lifestyle (for instance, if their wives wear headscarves) are purged from the military at the YAS meeting.

From the article:

Earlier press reports have suggested the possibility of around 20 officers being expelled from the TSK on charges of fundamentalism. Had any officers been expelled, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdo?an and Defense Minister Vecdi Gönül would likely have voiced their reservations about the move at the YAS meeting. The ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) has expressed its reservations over YAS’s earlier decisions to discharge officers for either fundamentalist or other activity meriting disciplinary action, urging for YAS decisions to be open to judicial oversight.

The fact that this YAS meeting did not result in the discharge of officers does not guarantee that no such decision will be made during YAS’s December meeting. However, the military’s decision to not dismiss any officers this time, contrary to the case in previous years, has triggered speculation over a possible compromise between the [the Turkish Armed Forces] and the government. The TSK [Turkish Armed Forces] may have asked the government to not dig too far in the Ergenekon terror organization investigation as several TSK members are believed to be involved.

For the list of changes in major officers’ assignments, click here.

Tags: Deep state/Ergenekon, Politics //