This comes as an eye opener for those who are still insistently blind to the investigation and discourages all those who attempt to dilute or belittle the investigation. They are running out of justifications for their advocacy of people detained under the investigation. They are left with good-for-nothing excuses.
The weapons and ammunition dug up in Gölbaşı have been belittled by a certain chorus of disbelievers of Ergenekon who argued that the weapons caches were shown on a sketch that belonged to İbrahim Şahin. "What is more usual than a Susurluk suspect's sketch producing weapons?" they asked in defense. But when, the next day, a sketch from a lieutenant colonel who is on active duty produced another arsenal, they were all silenced. A military officer on active duty, a lieutenant colonel, and weapons, bombs and bullets mapped on his sketch -- what do these tell us really? Shouldn't the lack of seriousness and irresponsibility and hypocrisy have some limits? Theirs do not have such restrictions. They have no limits to observe.
They have finally developed another defensive argument: "Yes, everything is possible, but how can you connect the Susurluk suspects, mafia types and gangs to the respected people and prestigious figures of the republic in this Ergenekon investigation? You cannot put them into the dirty bag with them." I will not say what will happen if you do.
Let us remember the Italian case. In Italy, Gladio had been nested, just like our Ergenekon, within the state and protected and used by public officials. In purging this shadowy network, many people were detained and sentenced, regardless of whether these people were respected or prestigious. First, the Italian prosecutor found out that Gladio had been masterminded by the P2 Masonic lodge. All Masons are respected types, aren't they? Then came 30 generals, a former prime minister, four ministers, intelligence unit chiefs, newspaper and TV editors, media bosses, businessmen, bankers, 19 top judicial members and 58 professors. All of them were respected and esteemed citizens of Italy. The editor-in-chief and boss of the famous Corriere della Sera newspaper were also found to be members of the organization. Some 900 people were detained for their connections to the organization in Italy. The terrorist organization was headed by intelligence chief and former Interior Minister Jose Barrionuevo, who was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Leader of the Socialist Party and former Prime Minister Bettino Craxi was among the leaders of the organization, and was brought to trial together with 12 former ministers and deputies. When he was convicted, Craxi was in Tunisia and could not return to Italy.
Returning to our case, the investigation has yet to touch politicians and members of the media. When a country is so involved in dirty and shadowy affairs, can politicians and media organizations stand clear of them? Can businessmen claim to be free from this dirt? Yes, all colors got dirty, but you cannot give the first place to Susurluk.
Now, let us talk about this respect or prestige argument. In this country, all military coups were undertaken by respected and powerful bureaucrats. When they were executing elected prime ministers and ministers, their prestige was at its peak. The respected national chief of the Republican People's Party (CHP) out in the lead, CHP executives, all prestigious judges and prosecutors, editors-in-chief, columnists, businessmen, most distinguished professors and rectors gave support to them. They applauded them with all their respectability.
In the Feb. 28 process, funds from 20 banks were embezzled by their bosses. All of them were respected bosses. Among them were prestigious media bosses. The respected editors-in-chief of those bosses cooperated with respected banks in those corruption cases. These thieves were working together with respected politicians, their prestigious bureaucrats and distinguished saviors who turned a blind eye to fraud and corruption, but presented ordinary citizens as dangerous creatures. All of them were utterly respectful.
Respectability has three essential requirements: You must be sincerely loyal to universal human values. In other words, you have to be honest, wise and advocate freedom of thought and expression, freedom of religion and conscience, the rule of law and universal accountability. You must not be offended by the values of the society you live in, and you must not see your own people as enemies. You must not rely on anything other than the nation's will. In other words, you must not act as the lawyers of shadowy networks thinking that if a state of emergency sets in and the military is provoked, then you might possibly be appointed prime minister or minister. You must not claim to be innocent after doing all these things.
You will only be respected if you do these things.
