A look at Turkey's long history of coups, its military's prominence and why some had thought the days of coups were over.
Q: How long has the military intervened in politics?
A: The military staged three coups between 1960 and 1980 and pressured Prime Minister Necmettin Erbakan, a Muslim mentor of current President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, out of power in 1997. In 2007, the military threatened to intervene in a presidential election, but the action backfired. The latest coup attempt surprised observers because the government had tried to bring the military under its control.
Q: Why did the military try to step in now?
A: The Turkish military has traditionally seen itself as the guardian of Turkey's old secular establishment, a legacy of national founder and former army officer Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, as well as an enforcer of order in times of civil unrest and weak civilian leadership. While it was forced to lower its political profile under Erdogan's government, Turkey's military has been buffeted by a renewed conflict with Kurdish separatist rebels and bombings by suspected Islamic extremists, including an attack on Istanbul's main airport last month that killed dozens. Erdogan has also been a polarizing leader.
Q: Why is the Turkish military so important?
A: Turkey is a NATO member and a key partner in U.S.-led efforts to defeat the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant, and has allowed American fighter jets to use its Incirlik air base to fly missions against the extremists. Turkey's strategic location in the Mideast region, straddling the Asian and European continents, makes it a critical player in international conflicts.
Q: What do Turks think about their military?
A: Turks have a conflicted relationship with their military, an institution that is cloaked in the lore of sacrifice but also tarnished as a past symbol of repression. Past military coup leaders have been seen as saviors from chaos and corruption, but also ruthless. Despite that past, the military retains respect and vast economic resources. Service is a rite of passage for almost all men, who serve as conscripts. Soldiers who die in fighting with Kurdish rebels are hailed as martyrs.
Associated Press
