Trial Of The ‘Deep State’

Ergenekon probe is 20% cleaning the deep state and 80% silencing the opposition. By mixing up the usual suspects with the prominent secularists, AKP is trying to undermine the secularism in Turkey. It seems like the usual suspects who were convicted before under the former (and secular ) administrations' watch will be convicted again. No more than 20% of the suspects have any kinds of relationship with the found evidence). The rest of the suspects has been arrested to shock and awe the secular Turks. They have even tried to connect the Ergenokon case with the secular protests to which millions of people attended. They have arrested the editor of the oldest newspaper, a harsh critic of AKP policies; the dean of the oldest and biggest university; the leader of a political party along with other academics and intellectuals who happened to be secular in the wrong country at the wrong place. The message they try to convey is very clear: Do not even dare to protest/criticize or oppose AKP government because we are above the law.

Also they do not follow the legal procedures, which, I believe, a deliberate effort to terrorize the political opposition. When people know that people can be arrested and kept in prison more than 14 months without any charges they will think twice before challenging the mighty AKP.

They have even arrested the (secular) persecutor who has fought against the deep state and convicted many deep state members several years ago. It was not a surprise for me since AKP has tried to disbar all prosecutors who dared to challenge any of its members. Now all prosecutors know not to bring up any case against AKP (or else!)

The author says "Even if the prosecution is holding some innocents, though, it doesn't mean there is no fire beneath the smoke." I would expect this from a neocon or a deep state member but not from a liberal journalist. Since when holding innocent people for months (technical infractions?!?) become an OK think for American liberals? "That some of those arrested have been held for six months without charge is not a scandal in Turkey as it would be in the United States" it is ok as long as it is those Turks who suffer. Have the Chicago Boys infiltrated to Newsweek? I am asking because approaching a country as a pet project and its citizens as ants is something I associate with the Chicago Boys. Our treasury secretary being a neoliberal (former Merrill Lynch employee), IMF now being in Turkey to negotiate another deal and reading apologist articles for governments illegal/oppressive actions on American newspapers I feel like I am living a new chapter of the future edition of the Shock Doctrine.

Criticizing AKP has always been costly. Erdogan has sued so many citizens for criticizing (he takes it as an insult) himself -a method very similar to one used by corporations to silence the opposition (SLAP suit: strategic lawsuits against public participation).