Reuters is reporting that the Turkish Military claims it has taken control.

[MohRokTah]

[La Lioness Priyanka]

1. could they be worse than erdogan?

[MohRokTah]

2. I despise all military coups

but I suppose they could not be much worse than Erdogan even at their very worst.

[Agnosticsherbet]

14. Abdolutely.

[Matrosov]

3. Isn't the Turkish military in favor of secularism?

I'm having a major brain fart. I want to say the Turkish military has usually stepped in whenever it felt the government becoming too religious, but I might be thinking of a completely different country.

[unblock]

5. sounds like it's "a portion of" the military. so i guess it depends on which portion....

[Kaleva]

6. Yes.

[6chars]

7. You are correct

[rjsquirrel]

9. Historically yes

The Turkish military has staged several coups in the last half century, generally against Islamist governments.


I hate Erdogan. Several of my Turkish colleagues live in exile because they are afraid of his escalating crackdowns on dissent and especially on academics.

Turkey was headed away from democracy. I hope this coup is not more of that.

[atreides1]

11. Here's some information

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1960_Turkish_coup_d%27%C3%A9tat


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1971_Turkish_military_memorandum


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1980_Turkish_coup_d%27%C3%A9tat

[Matrosov]

20. Thanks guys

[MohRokTah]

22. The problem is, the US usually has nothing to do with a government after a military coup.

This has serious impications for our bases in Turkey and the fight against ISIL.

[AngryAmish]

23. This presupposes we did not cause the coup.

Are these rump Kemalists? Or that dude whose name I can't remember who lives in the Poconos? Either one is pro American. Edit: Fallen, I think.

So that was why Kerry was playing footsie with Putin the other day.

[applegrove]

4. US jets cannot fly out of a place where a coup has replaced a democratically elected government.

This is bad for not just the public in Turkey, but for the whole region, including the fight on ISIS. Vibes to everyone in the region. Reports state tv in Turkey has been shut down.

[name not needed]

12. You're right. We should restore the Islamist to power.

Progress isn't always pretty.

[HipChick]

18. I have friends on vacation in Turkey right now..

[applegrove]

19. Vibes to them and their safety.

[flamingdem]

8. OK, where is Obama

we need his input

[rjsquirrel]

10. I am gonna guess

he is in the loop.

[flamingdem]

13. My thoughts EXACTLY

This could be a real winner for the dilemmas over there

[rjsquirrel]

15. Lol 30 or 40 years ago

We on the left would immediately assume Obama was behind it.

[flamingdem]

16. In this case I'm sure he's covered himself

but obviously this is just about the only way to solve Syria. Now the Kurds can be a force

[mwrguy]

17. Seems like the coup failed

[tirebiter]

21. I'd say he'll eventually make peace with it. Too soon would not end well.

An elected government moving towards religious dictatorship or a secular military junta that would support the Peshmerga?