New brass
August 4, 2011
Four new generals were named on Wednesday to lead Turkey's military following last week's resignation of the country's top brass.
Necdet Ozel replaces Isik Kosaner as chief of the general staff. Kosaner resigned last week with the heads of the army, navy, and airforce in an ongoing spat between the military and the government. Those posts have been filled by General Hayri Kivrikoglu, Admiral Emin Murat Bilgel and General Mehmet Erten.
Kosaner and the other former commanders resigned in protest at the detention of a number of generals under suspicion that they were planning a coup. They wanted the detained generals promoted.
Gaining the upper hand
An annual meeting of Turkey's Supreme Military Council, which includes Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, is taking place this week, and one of the main topics on the table is the promotion of military officials.
In a move that is seen as a concession to the military to help them accept the new appointments, 14 of the detained generals have had their service extended for one year. It had been forecast that they might be forced into retirement.
Turkey's military is viewed as the defender of secularism in the country and has deposed four governments since 1960.
The new appointees, while not necessarily loyal to Erdogan or his Islamic-oriented AK Party, are seen as a way of improving civilian control of the military.
The cabinet has yet to approve the appointments, but this is regarded as a formality.
Author: Matt Zuvela (AFP, Reuters, dpa)
Editor: Michael Lawton