Also, if this is involving most of the military how does the present government hope to win? With police officers?
I don't think it's as clean cut as some of the media are making out.
Seems like it wasn't all of the generals leading the coup attempt, at least one senior military official has been held hostage.
Also a TV station building has just been blown up, possibly by loyalist army/air force. Lots of people on the streets as well after Erdogan's address blocking tanks and things.
Who knows how this will end up. If things get bloody I don't think the West will be able to stand by like they did in Syria.
I'm meant to be going to Turkey on Tuesday though. How violent?! Will violence go on throughout the whole of Turkey or just in Istanbul or Ankara?
I'd look at your holidays cancellation policy. I imagine all flights will be postponed, already planes are being turned around. Seems the army has taken the main airport, so it doesn't matter where you're staying
Funny how the President who banned street protests is now telling people to street protest
Also notice how it seems to be only men out protesting? I wonder why no women want to help Erdo
I think this is good news. Erdogan was becoming increasingly dictatorial and moving the country toward Islamism. Turkey's involvement with ISIS and their continued support to Al-Nusra shows just how far the country had moved away from Ataturk's secular ideology.
I suspect the military felt that they might be facing their last opportunity to act in their traditional role as the guardians of Ataturk's legacy (Erdogan had been defanging the military for years).
However, the dangers in this situation are substantial; it's likely that Islamists across the region will be electrified by this, and if a civil war breaks out in Turkey that will be very bad.
How is he turning the tide? Tanks are now surrounding the parliament building and PM's office, they have shut down state TV, the airports, the bridges.
This clearly isn't a handful of tinpot colonels; they have every incentive to do what it takes to maintain control or their lives won't be worth living
I think this is good news. Erdogan was becoming increasingly dictatorial and moving the country toward Islamism. Turkey's involvement with ISIS and their continued support to Al-Nusra shows just how far the country had moved away from Ataturk's secular ideology.
I suspect the military felt that they might be facing their last opportunity to act in their traditional role as the guardians of Ataturk's legacy (Erdogan had been defanging the military for years).
However, the dangers in this situation are substantial; it's likely that Islamists across the region will be electrified by this, and if a civil war breaks out in Turkey that will be very bad.
You are right on except one thing. Military did not stage a coup. First army division commander made it clear. It is work of FETÖ, the religious organization that was once an ally of Erdogan and now their "jew" scapegoats.
How is he turning the tide? Tanks are now surrounding the parliament building and PM's office, they have shut down state TV, the airports, the bridges.
This clearly isn't a handful of tinpot colonels; they have every incentive to do what it takes to maintain control or their lives won't be worth living
That is the thing, if you start a coup, it really is all or nothing, little point in ever giving up or stopping.