The sudden and unexpected retirement of all four of Turkey’s top generals was announced today.
The Chief of the General Staff of the Republic of Turkey and the other three members of the General Staff, the Commanders of Turkey’s Army, Navy and Air Force are all retiring.
The Turkish military has been increasing uncomfortable recently because many military officers, including many generals, have been arrested on treasonous charges in the past four years.
I don’t remember the numbers but it must be in the hundreds, including I think about 43 generals.
I have heard, but am not sure, that there is no general available to take command of the air force.
None of those who have been arrested and are on trial have been found guilty on any charges even though their trials have been going on for many years.
Many people in Turkey feel that this is the current government’s attempt to get revenge and to solidify their control of the country.
The Turkish military is charged constitutionally with protecting the republic from both external and internal threats to its existence, specifically ensuring its status as a secular republic.
These developments can have major impacts on any possible involvement which Turkey might have in Libya or Syria. The Turkish military might be too weakened to play any effective roll and this will influence any U.N. or NATO decisions to send troops to these countries.
Anadolu Agency (the Turkish state news agency) at first announced that the generals had quit but 30 minutes later announced that they had retired.