The General Staff claimed in Thursday’s statement that the plan was part of a series of “scenarios” drafted by the armed forces against possible external threats. “The plan seminar in question is part of the General Staff’s operation program for the years 2003-2006. The aim of the seminar is to develop operation plans and train TSK [Turkish Armed Forces] staff against an external threat to Turkey. The seminar states a scenario that mentions a period full of increasing tension in the country,” read the statement, adding that it was impossible for anyone with reason and a conscience to accept the allegations. Unconvinced by the General Staff statement, analysts say the plot is direct against a domestic enemy and is obviously a coup plan, so the General Staff should come up with a better explanation.Sabah’s Nazlı Ilıcak, who found the General Staff’s statement very unconvincing, says it is actually impossible for anyone with reason and a conscience to believe that a military plot, which includes plans for bombing mosques and crashing a Turkish plane and has the goal of toppling the democratically elected government, is aimed at training TSK staff against an external threat. Calling on the General Staff not to hide the offenders, Ilıcak says: “Do not cover up the offenses of your staff. Help the judiciary so that we can eliminate those who are eager for a coup.”
Yeni Şafak’s Fehmi Koru points out the fact that although the General Staff’s statement says the plan was a scenario against an external threat, there is much talk about an “internal enemy” in the plot drafter by the commanders who participated in the seminar. So, there is a big contradiction between the General Staff’s statement and the plot, says Koru. Recalling a statement made by Chief of General Staff Gen. İlker Başbuğ just after assuming his post in which he vowed that he would not show any tolerance to TSK staff involved in anti-democratic activities, Koru says the latest General Staff statement about the Sledgehammer plot is not in compliance with Başbuğ’s promise. “What is expected from Başbuğ is to adopt an attitude which is in line with the spirit of today. We are still waiting for this,” remarks Koru.
Bugün’s Erhan Başyurt talks about the same contradiction in the General Staff statement and says the Sledgehammer action plan makes no mention of an “external threat.” He says the military does not have any legal authority to make such a plan even if it is an exercise against an “internal threat.” “More importantly, the generals do not develop a strategy for warfare against an enemy in this plan; they make preparations for a coup by making up a superficial domestic enemy. Mosques are bombed, the public is categorized one by one according to their backgrounds, 210,000 individuals are detained, filling stadiums, members of a coup cabinet are determined and there are many other details,” explains Başyurt.
What is lacking in the General Staff’s statement, according to Radikal’s Akif Beki, is an explanation for why the Sledgehammer plan included items about domestic security and politics. “Why were these left unexplained? We are not keen on finding out about the General Staff’s mistakes but shouldn’t the General Staff be helping us to get rid of the questions in our minds that our reasoning and conscience cannot accept?” asks Beki.
