generalspeaking

Islamism: Roaring Back to Life

Turkey is about as democratic and Westernized as it is possible for a Muslim country to become. Kamal Ataturk, a Turkish hero to many in the country, imposed secularism upon Turkey, banishing Islamism from its politics, insisting that Turkey become modern rather than remain mired in backwardness which adherence to Islamic precepts appeared to impose on the country's political and social life.

He outlawed the trappings of Islamic interpretations on Turkish political and judicial life, including customary Islamic garb for women.

The Turkish military dedicated itself historically to upholding the secularism that divided the country's politics and its judicial system and its educational system from its religion. The emancipation from religious doctrine and dictates freed the country to become Westernized, progressive, wealthier and competitive in a world of burgeoning trade and business opportunities.

When Islamism raised its head in the political sphere, the Turkish military opposed it, honouring Ataturk's vision of modern Turkey.

And then along came the Islamic Revolution in Iran that transmitted the idea of a renaissance of traditional Islamic heritage, values and laws that the Muslim Brotherhood throughout its long 20th-Century efforts was unable to achieve. Slowly but inevitably Islamism, fanatical, extreme, Salafist Islam, began to infect Muslim societies and governments elsewhere, and gave rise to violent Islamism, resulting in violent jihad against the West, viewed as an enemy of Islam.

An extreme Islamist movement took root in Turkey, and it was defeated, but in its place a purportedly more 'moderate' Islamist political party arose, which became influential enough to entice the Turkish electorate to bring it to power. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed to pursue his country's entry into the European Union, just as Turkey had been accepted as a bridge between Europe and the Middle East as a member of NATO.

The Turkish military, as was its tradition, conspired to remove Erdogan and his Justice & Development party from political power, to restore purely secular-based politics, but he appears to have outfoxed and out-manoeuvred the generals of the Turkish army, air force and navy. He and his ruling council took immediate steps to denounce what they insisted was a planned coup, and arrested those whom they claimed were involved.

Years later, that process is continuing. Although none of the admirals and generals were ever convicted in a court of law, Prime Minister Erdogan planned to force their retirement, while his country's top generals planned to promote them. The standoff between the government and its military is so acute and dysfunctional that the country's top military elite sent in their resignations.

The head of the Turkish armed forces, General Isik Kosaner, along with the heads of the ground, naval and air forces resigned en masse to protest government pressures insistent on dismissing dozens of serving officers. Over 40 serving generals, a tenth of the senior ranks, are under arrest, charged with planning bomb attacks to destroy the administration of Prime Minister Erdogan.

There is a list of 195 military suspects, retired and active military members charged with being part of the 2003 plot to bomb the-then newly elected government party. Two chiefs of staff have been charged with involvement in a 2005 bombing. It appears that the Turkish army may no longer consider itself the guardians of the secular state they had inherited.

The Islamist state appears now to be well entrenched, and it means to stay that way. History reverses its traditions; what was once rejected has come roaring back to life.

Labels: Traditions, Troublespots

posted by Pieface @ Monday, August 01, 2011