Kılıçdaroğlu claimed that the lack of expulsions of army officers on grounds of anti-secular activities was the result of a deal between the army and the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party). Kılıçdaroğlu also criticized the fact that a luxury automobile was purchased for outgoing Chief of General Staff Gen. Yaşar Büyükanıt. His remarks led the General Staff to issue a stern statement against the CHP on Tuesday, calling the allegations baseless and calling them "a product of the imagination." This sudden rupture between the CHP and the military, traditionally allies, has led to a discussion on the CHP's problematic civilian stance and more generally on how certain circles in Turkey will defame generals after they do not act in line with their expectations. Sabah's Ergun Babahan accuses the CHP of hypocrisy concerning military-civilian relations, citing the party's past record of supporting the military's intrusion into politics. He cites the most recent example as last year's presidential elections when the military issued a memorandum against the government. Babahan also says CHP comments on Büyükanıt's automobile are destructive, dangerous and shameful. With regard to the lack of expulsions of army officers at this year's Supreme Military Council (YAŞ) meeting, Babahan also argues that it is both wrong and destructive to relate this to a deal between the government and the military. "It is not an attitude that respects democracy and law to complain over the choice not to expel officers from the military instead of questioning why these officers cannot seek redress through the judiciary," says Babahan.
Referring to some media outlets' attack on outgoing Gen. Büyükanıt over the recent CHP-military row, Star's Hadi Özışık voices surprise at how the same media outlets were extolling Büyükanıt when he took over the post from former Chief of General Staff Hilmi Özkök two years ago. In Özışık's view, Büyükanıt let these media outlets down when he didn't challenge the government and stage a coup, as they had wished. He says the same circles are now doing the same thing as they eulogize new Chief of General Staff Gen. İlker Başbuğ, describing him as a hawk. "Başbuğ's tenure is two years. If everything goes well and if he pursues a hawkish policy against the AK Party government, then he will be a termed a good general. If he minds his own business and does not interfere in politics, his fate will be the same as former chiefs of general staff Özkök and Büyükanıt," says Özışık.
Vatan's Ruşen Çakır does not think a historic deal was struck between the AK Party and the General Staff, as claimed by the CHP, but states that both the AK Party and the military understand each other when it comes to sensitive issues. He thinks Turkey's cross-border operations into northern Iraq that began last year to fight the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) are a factor that brought the military and the AK Party closer. "We are faced with a more complicated situation. It seems that a new period has begun in Turkey," Çakır says.
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