Hm. Attempted military coup in Turkey?

[pdq]

Just heard it on NPR. Here's the NYT:

“Some people illegally undertook an illegal action outside of the chain of command,” Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said in comments broadcast on NTV, a private television channel. “The government elected by the people remains in charge. This government will only go when the people say so.”

Reuters reported in a short series of bulletins that the military had issued a statement saying it had “taken over” for “democratic order” and that “all existing foreign relations will continue.”

The whereabouts of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has dominated politics in Turkey for many years and has sought to establish a firm control over the military, was not immediately clear.

Military forces shut two bridges over the Bosporus in Istanbul, and fighter jets were seen flying over Istanbul and Ankara, the capital. The main airport in Istanbul was reported to have halted flights.

[pdq]

NPR saying that top military leadership being held against their will in military facilities - ie, this is not being led from the top, but story still evolving.

[pdq]

Some background:

The Atlantic wrote:
If Friday marks the end of Erdogan’s leadership, it will complete a stunning arc over the course of two decades: from political disgrace to the leadership of the nation; from the toast of the globe and the beacon of hope for Western leaders to pariah and avatar of repression and autocracy.

But Erdogan’s liberalism only went so far...It soon became apparent that his goal was not a liberal democracy but a sort of revival of Ottomanism. Erdogan grew increasingly autocratic, cracking down on the media and drawing power to himself, working to transform the Turkish presidency—traditionally a relatively weak position, compared to the prime ministership—into a strong one...By earlier this year, reporters were referring to Erdogan as being “on a march to dictatorship.” Even if Erdogan is able to survive the coup and reassert control, the "Turkish model" is dead—and so are any hopes that Erdogan might be a liberalizer or a democrat.

Not unprecedented - last military coup (for related reasons) in Turkey was in 1997.

[$tevie]

My most recent Breaking News email from Washington Post says "Turkish military leaders say they have seized control of government". Obviously the story will be evolving like breaking news always does.

[SteveG]

Top theories you should ignore:

1) Ruth Bader Ginsburg calls in some cards to really louse up the GOP convention.

2) Turkish military has decided to join the EU even if it means conquering it.

3) Arranged as a prelude to Hillary Clinton's historic "How you gonna solve THIS one, President Trump?" speech.

-
Probable: Military has had it with Erdogan being such a jerk.

[pdq]

(state)TV apparently taken over by the military:


the “democratic and secular rule of law has been eroded by current government”; the country is now being run by a “peace council”

Comments I'm seeing suggest it's hard to see how Erdogan survives this (politically).

[mrbigstuff]

"What a wonderful problem to have; it's going to be great, so great. I really see terrific things happening... Oh, what...?"

[$tevie]

pdq wrote:

Judging by the news reader, TV apparently taken over by FOX news.

[pdq]

On an interesting, minor point, Erdogan has made a brief video statement opposing the coup. How, since the military has seized TV?

FaceTime!

In bizarre scenes the Turkish President appeared on CNN via a presenter’s [iPhone] blaming a “parallel state” for coup attempt.

He also called for citizens to ‘go into the streets’, suggesting trouble could erupt.

[Filliam H. Muffman]

I guess this really cuts the chances of Erdogan converting over to an executive presidency, or giving Syrians citizenship.