[This is a roundup of news articles and other materials circulating on Turkey and reflects a wide variety of opinions. It does not reflect the views of the Turkey Page Editors or of Jadaliyya. You may send your own recommendations for inclusion in each week`s roundup to turkey@jadaliyya.com by Sunday night of every week.]
English
Graft Crisis
2014: Turkey’s Year of Destiny (1)-(2)-(3)-(4) Murat Yetkin points out that “Turkey is entering a new year with heavy problems inherited from 2013.”
The Power of Satire Doğu Ergil writes that both the Gezi uprising and the recent graft crisis are leaving behind memorable pieces of satire in 2013.
Turkey`s Endless Tunnel of Horror (1)-(2)-(3) Yavuz Baydar argues that Turkey’s 2013 can be read as a thriller, filled with sharp turns, horror, and “parallel journalism.”
2013: A Dreadful Year Suat Kınıklıoğlu draws attention to the fact that Turkey is a pretty exciting place unless you are not its citizen.
Hopes and Fears for 2014 On the first day of the new year, Joost Lagendijk looks forward and highlights some of the issues that seems to him crucial for Turkey in 2014.
Plot Allegations: Some Simple Facts Seyfettin Gürsel comments on Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan`s New Year`s speech.
Recently Resigned Minister Says Turkey Drifting from Rule of Law An interview with former Turkish Culture Minister Ertugrul Gunay, who resigned from the AKP over the graft crisis.
What About the "Parallel Law"? Bülent Keneş explains how a "parallel law" has been implemented in Turkey through the government’s claims related to a “parallel state.”
"Independent Justice": A Rare Commodity? Ahmet Hakan draws attention to the fact that “one of the most cliché sentences on earth has become the first sign of opposing the government. “
Why a Woman Who Waved a Shoebox Was Taken into Custody Orhan Kemal Cengiz writes that the government’s tolerance for protests or objections over the graft probes is declining.
"Saturday Night Massacre" of Justice The Turkish government’s reaction to the graft and corruption scandal reminds İhsan Dağı of the Nixon’s “Saturday Night Massacre.”
Politics on the Orient Express Referring to Agatha Christie’s novel, Murder on the Orient Express, Nuray Mert labels the corruption crisis as “a politics on the Orient Express.”
Turkey’s Power Struggles Threaten the Nation The Washington Post, in its editorial, argues that the “latest political crisis is one to which the overused adjective byzantine could fairly be applied.”
Erdoğan-Gülen-Gül Rivalry: All the Sultan`s Men Yuksel Sezgin propounds that “what we are experiencing in Turkey since 17 December can only happen in Dan Brown novels.”
What You Should Know About Turkey`s AKP-Gülen Conflict Mustafa Akyol addresses those who have a hard time understanding the exact nature of the battle.
Erdoğan’s Crisis of Legitimacy Kadri Gürsel argues that “Bayraktar’s suggestion that Erdoğan was aware of everything that went on is now the declaration of this crisis of legitimacy.”
How Erdoğan’s Troubles Are Good for Turkey Karl Vick contends that the graft scandal that has rocked the government may be bad for its Prime Minister, but good for Turkey in the long-term.
Islamism Is Dead! Mümtazer Türköne argues that “growing tension between the government and the Hizmet (Gülen) movement will have lasting impacts on Turkish Islamism.”
Turkey Probe Underlines Links Between Construction and Politics The graft probe reveals how construction and politics have become intertwined in Turkey, Daniel Dombey and Piotr Zalewski write.
Is Erdoğan’s Survival Detrimental to Turkish Democracy? Semih İdiz writes that Erdoğan is using his executive powers in a desperate effort to alter the legal system to protect his government.
Asymmetric War Extends to Syria and Saudi Arabia As the graft crisis gets deeper, Verda Özer argues that “the implications of the investigation are becoming more and more international.”
Does Erdoğan`s Attack on Judiciary Reflect His View of Turkish Democracy? “Faced with a serious corruption scandal, Erdoğan took a firm position against the justice system,” Tülin Daloğlu argues.
What Erdoğan Fails to See (1)-(2) Cafer Solgun summarizes the near past because he thinks that the government has failed to read it properly.
Advisor`s Claim Has Potential to Accelerate AK Party`s Downfall Lale Kemal comments on the claims of Erdoğan’s chief advisor that Güulenists formulated a plot against the Turkish military
Real Danger Ekrem Dumanlı writes that “the ultra-nationalist technique of making false claims has become a lifesaver for the pro-government media.”
Destructive Politics Nicole Pope points out that “seeking consensus or compromise is still seen by many as a form of weakness in Turkey`s patriarchal society.”
Will the AKP Pay for the Graft Scandal in the Elections? Emre Deliveli argues that “voters could be punishing economic mismanagement rather than corruption” in Turkey.
The Big Picture Ali Bulaç tries to look at the big picture.
"Foreign Conspiracy" in Turkey Impacts Western Ties The government’s accusations that the probe is a foreign conspiracy could cause a serious crisis in Turkey’s foreign relationships, Sami Kohen writes.
Why Mr. Gülen Was Targeted Abdullah Bozkurt compares and contrasts Fethullah Gülen and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Gülen, Hizmet, the State, and the AKP (1)-(2) İhsan Yılmaz advocates for the Gülen Movement against the accusation of the AKP and its media.
The Gülen Movement and the Loss of Sunni Codes Burhanettin Duran holds the Gülen Community responsible for breaking the Sunni codes.
What Happened on December 17? Taha Özhan gives his own narrative of the corruption probe.
What If the Government Is Getting Stronger? Etyen Mahçupyan claims that “those who want to topple the government may actually be shooting themselves in the foot.”
Settlement Process Is the New Turkey`s Visa Markar Esayan claims that “the fact that Prime Minister Erdoğan is being targeted now shows that the real issue is the settlement process.”
Truck Full of Weapons
Ankara Suspected of Arming Jihadists in Syria Semih İdiz comments on recently discovered truck full of weapons en route to Syria.
International Conspiracy Pointing out photographs floating around on the net and the discovery of a truck full of weapons, Yusuf Kanlı dismisses the AKP’s claims of an international conspiracy.
The Mysterious Truck According to Emre Uslu, “there is no doubt left that the truck was carrying weapons illegally.”
Kurdish Question
Turkey`s Kurds Want Explanation, Apology for Roboski Massacre Fehim Taştekin point out that the state has not yet given an account of the Roboski (Uludere) massacre.
Syrian Kurds Agree to Disagree Wladimir van Wilgenburg argues that Syria`s Kurds are far from being united despite agreeing to speak with a single voice at Geneva II.
Other Pertinent Pieces
No Interest Rate Lobby Found “SPK did not find the lobby it was looking for” in the Gezi uprising, Uğur Gürses underlines.
How to Silence an Armenian Maverick in Turkey Nanore Barsoumian comments on the imprisonment of Sevan Nişanyan, a Turkish-Armenian journalist, in Turkey.
Turkish
Graft Crisis
Çıkmaz sokağa girdiniz Orhan Kemal Cengiz argues that the AKP government entered a dead rend by blaming prosecutors and trying to evade graft allegations.
Hükümet-Cemaat savaşı: Gelin yumrukları sayalım İsmet Berkan summarizes the AKP-Gülen movement row since the struggle over prep schools.
Şemdinli Savcısı`ndan İstanbul Savcısı`na bir memleket hikâyesi… Doğan Akın compares the situation of Ferhat Sarıkaya, the prosecutor of Semdinli trial and ex-prosecutor of graft probation.
"Savaş kabinesi" (1)-(2)-(3)-(4) Ruşen Cakır comments on the change of cabinet, upcoming local elections, and power relations embedded in the graft crisis.
Kumpas tartışması (1)-(2)-(3) Yalçın Akdoğan, Erdoğan’s chief political advisor, explains what he meant by a plot against the Turkish army.
Askerî vesayetle mücadeleyi yem etmeyin! Alper Görmüş writes that the AKP government’s efforts to struggle with a coup mindset should not be omitted due to graft probes.
Darbeciler de sizi kurtaramaz Mehmet Altan criticizes the AKP’s political alliance with the military and its pro-coup mindset.
Kirli ittifaklar ve pis kokular Hüseyin Ali writes that “this process revealed how dirty and opportunist politics in Turkey have been.”
Gene mi kurtuluş savaşı! Taner Akçam argues that Erdoğan eliminates the basic principle of a democratic constitutional state—that is, the separation of powers.
Komplocu zihniyetten demokrasi beklemek (1)-(2) According to İhsan Dağı, the "security language" that emerged during the Gezi uprisings is turning into a "security state."
Kaos Sedat Yurtdaş criticizes the way the AKP government is trying to deal with the graft crisis.
Gazeteciler ve Yazarlar Vakfi’ndan kamuoyuna aciklama A press release of the Association of Journalists and Writers (Gazeteciler ve Yazarlar Vakfi) on the graft crisis.
Cadıları yakalım da… “It’s literally ‘demonization’: creating a ‘moral panic’ by associating a multitude of sins with a particular social group,” writes Turan Alkan.
17 Aralık darbesi ve talimat gibi beddua Yasin Aktay claims that the 17December graft probe was a blueprint of previous coup attempts.
`Diğerleri’ olarak AKP iktidarı “The AKP government reminds me of the ghost family in Amenabar’s famous film (The Others, 2001), which is not aware that it is already dead,” writes Ergin Yıldızoğlu.
Krizden demokrasiyle cikabiliriz Oral Calışlar argues that embracing democracy is the only remedy to this graft crisis.
Ali Ismail Korkmaz, Turkiye Yikilmaz! According to Cüneyt Özdemir, Turkey is expecting a political tsunami in 2014.
Her yer rusvet her yer yolsuzluk Cüneyt Özdemir criticizes the way the government is dealing with the graft probes.
`13` rakamını hak eden yıl Ali Bayramoğlu analyzes 2013’s three important developments: the peace process, the Gezi uprisings, and the corruption crisis.
Öcalan ve Kandil nasil bakiyor? (1)-(2)-(3) Abdülkadir Selvi comments on Abdullah Öcalan’s and the PKK’s approach to recent developments, and parallel state debates.
İyi çocukların iyi devleti Hayko Bağdat criticizes his old friends who support the government uncritically.
Yeni bir yıla girerken Türkiye ve dünya Mensur Akgün analyzes 2013’s two important political crisis, the Gezi uprisings and the corruption operations.
2014’ün gündemi: Yargıdaki odaklaşma Ahmet Taşgetiren comments on the lack of an independent judiciary in Turkey.
Roboski ve paralel devlet Mücahit Bilici argues that the PKK and the Gülen Community are "parallel states" and the real agents in Turkey, whereas the AKP is a phony state that is built upon lies.
Toplumsal tablo Gülay Göktürk writes that the AKP government is violating the law extensively under the pretext of eliminating bureaucratic tutelage.
Yolsuzluk günlerinde asgari ücret Aziz Celik ridicules the newly announced "minimum wage," comparing it to the graft probes.
Adalete hile karışırsa suç meşrulaşır “When chicanery, politics, and ideology are involved in justice, crime becomes legitimized,” Oya Baydar argues.
"Başbakan çok sabırlı davrandı" An interview with Mehmet Sevket Eygi, an experienced journalist who is close to the government, about the graft crisis.
Savas devam edecek Hasan Bülent Kahraman suggests the AKP not abandon legitimacy and democracy.
Truck Full of Weapons
AKP’nin Susurluk’u: Hatay’da durdurulan TIR Ergun Babahan argues that recently discovered truck full of weapons en route to Syria reveals the AKP’s support for Al-Qaeda and civil war in Syria.
Kuralsızlık derinleşiyor Murat Belge argues that "the truck full with weapons" deepened the unlawful power struggles in Turkey.
İHH Başkanı Bülent Yıldırım: Cemaat savcıları `İHH ile ilgili El Kaide dosyası açılır` dedi The President of Association for Humanitarian Rights and Freedom (IHH) argues that the truck is a conspiracy organized in order to devalue the IHH after the Mavi Marmara crisis with Israel.
Kurdish Question
Kimin sorunu? Adil Bayram argues that the resolution of the Kurdish question is indispensable to the democratization of Turkey.
Zaman hızla daralıyor ya demokrasi ya kaos Veysi Sarısözen argues that the only way for the AKP to recover from the recent political crisis is to solve the Kurdish question.
AKP, cemaat ve barışı ‘rehin tutmak’ Umut Özkırımlı comments on the peace process and the recent graft crisis.
Attığın taşa dikkat! “It is a fatal mistake that some Kurdish politicians argue for supporting the AKP against the Gülen movement,” Yıldırım Türker writes.
Hedef yalniz Sebahat Tuncel mi? Oral Calışlar argues that the imprisonment of Sebahat Tuncel, Istanbul deputy and the co-president of the HDP, is a provocative attempt targeting the peace process.
Kürtler birleşirken ayrışma tohumları mı ekiyor? Irfan Aktar argues that the BDP’s attempts to make an alliance with other Kurdish groups should go beyond a “strategic coalition.”
Other Pertinent Pieces
Gezi Kitlesi: Batılı Türkiyeliler ve siz yabancı olmak nedir bilir misiniz? A blog piece on Erdoğan’s "otherization" of the groups involved in the Gezi uprisings.
Büyük savaş ve Gezi yılı Soli Özel argues that 2013 was a "Gezi year" and its political implications will determine 2014.
Meslekten kovulan eşcinsel polis anlattı Ciçek Tahaoğlu’s interview with an ex-police officer who was fired because of his sexual orientation.
Canı yananın eli ağır olur Sırrı Süreyya Önder’s piece on his childhood anecdotes and their implications for his political ideas and career.
Published on Jadaliyya
The Not-So-Tangled Web of Tear Gas Manufacturers
Proverbs, Politics, and Paris: An Interview with Nancy Kricorian
Ismail Besikci and the Reality of Kurdistan
Towards the End of a Dream? The Erdoğan-Gülen Fallout and Islamic Liberalism’s Descent