Colwyn, I respect a Lot of what you write on here, I am wandering if you would share your interpretation of the current situation, and what you think it will lead to? Thanks markar
That's kind of you to say so, but I don't have any crystal ball here. We will be in a better position to judge after a week's experience of the state of emergency. What strikes me immediately is that the emergency is very narrowly targeted. It is aimed at Gulen supporters. To the extent that Gulen supporters are indeed ensconced in senior positions in Turkey this is likely to be due to his programme of setting up Hizmet (service or duty} schools. These schools have a very strong reputation for academic excellence coupled with a strong sense of public service. They have turned many tens of thousands of highly qualified school leavers who go on to do extremely well in further and higher education. Upon graduation they are then very strong candidates for recruitment into armed forces, judiciary, education, civil service and even journalism. Not surprisingly they are likely to promoted into high positions in their chosen professions.
This may have double-edged consequences. On the one hand ordinary people, expats and tourists are not targets and not under threat in the short term. On the other hand, the purge has already led to the suspension, sacking or arrest of 60,000 Turks who are likely to amongst the best educated and most able in the country. What will this do to the economic and social development of Turkey in the middle or long term? And then, once all opposition is removed, what will Erdogan do next with his increased power?
[P.S. I believe Gulen schools have a similar reputation for academic excellence where they have been set up in the USA and is just one of the reasons which USGov is likely to resist extradition.]
