Just the other day, the Taraf daily featured the headline “Lieutenant handed over grenade after pulling out pin.” According to the story, an explosion on Aug. 17 in Elazığ occurred after a lieutenant gave a private named İbrahim Öztürk a hand grenade whose pin had been pulled out to punish him for sleeping during his night watch. Although military officials had reported that the explosion occurred accidentally, in his testimony, Lt. Mehmet Tümer confirmed what happened in the murder-like event. In addition to Öztürk, Mesut Bulut, İbrahim Yaman and Ali Osman Altın were killed in the explosion.While the Hürriyet daily covered the news in subheadings yesterday, the TSK had still not made an official statement. During Victory Week, the thought this heartbreaking event invoked in me was that it was time for the TSK to realize that it was being damaged not by outside sources by from within. The TSK must analyze the situation thoroughly.
In no other part of the world do people dye their sons' finger or hair with henna and send them off to the military, which is done to represent the sacrifice for the motherland. Despite the distortion of our essential values, there is a calling from within that reminds soldiers of the divineness of the high level of martyrdom and status as a veteran. But we want our commanders to have this spirit as well.
We don't want lieutenants that kill our henna-adorned soldiers and commanders that don't do anything to improve the circumstances of our babies who have been subjected to hundreds of raids by terrorists at unprotected posts. The struggle with terrorism should involve professional units. Just like how our brave sons are seen off to the military with drums and dances at bus terminals as if they were going to get married or attend a celebration, they should be shown compassion and kindness by commanders, just like the compassion and kindness of a mother and father.
Our sons do not object to discipline, but they cannot tolerate indignity. Everyone should know that anyone who offends the heart of our lions will find the doors of heaven closed to them. Cruelty and especially beating must stop in the military.
The commander is the spirit of the barracks, the front and the battlefield. All eyes are on him. It is his braveness, courage, determination, innocence, dignity and discipline that allows our flag to wave in Malazgirt, Mohaç, Preveze, in front of İstanbul's ramparts and on the hills of Çanakkale.
I am not trying to play hero; it is what it is. Our commanders really are that way. They are the same as our Mehmetçik, the general name given to Turkish soldiers. Whatever character, discipline, value and belief the Mehmetçik have, the commanders have as well. The Mehmetçik and the commander are soul mates. At least every time that was the case, we were the protector of the aggrieved, the sword of justice and the bearer of our beliefs.
Another issue is keeping up to date with the day and age. To make progress, we need to expand rights and have a state of law, transparency and accountability while sticking to our original values. In short, the way out is to have an advanced democracy that defends coming together over universal human values. In line with this, the TSK needs to restructure itself and become more transparent. For example, if four privates have been killed as a result of the mistake of one lieutenant, which could never be representative of our military officers anyway, what benefit is there for the military to say it happened accidentally? What is the purpose of safeguarding those who go beyond the limits of democracy, who chase after coup dreams and who prepare memorandums? Why isn't an institutional stance being taken against them? An armed force that abandons politics and adopts a democratic discipline will not weaken but instead become stronger.
We want our military to be powerful and effective in combat. We like our military when it does its original job.
