Comments on: Turkey’s Military and its Role in Politics

By: military ranks

military ranks — Mon, 26 May 2008 16:53:10 +0000

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By: Benjamin

Benjamin — Wed, 14 May 2008 06:59:16 +0000

Thank you everyone for your comments.

wj – I think Garreth Jenkins’ point, with which I would agree, is not that the military is being "counterproductive", but it’s not longer as influential or effective in shaping the cultural and political orientation of its conscripts. Turkey has changed and the state no longer holds the same level of a stranglehold on ideology as it once did. (This is not necessarily a bad thing!) Therefore, if the military hopes to continue to play a more influential role in Turkish society, it may also want to modernize its own approach to account for the changing times.

It also seems important to point out that, as far as I have seen, nationalism can be applicable to both "secularists" as well as more "religiously conservative" members of Turkish society. So yes, the army might be able to strengthen their love for their country, but this doesn’t mean that they are effectively molding the thoughts of conscripts concerning what shape that country should take.

By: Nihat

Nihat — Tue, 13 May 2008 21:47:23 +0000

Turkish military is a subject of fascination, isn’t it? In addition to maintaining a standing force, it has to inculcate something into the conscripts… Hmm! How about soldiery, discipline, sense of duty and equality? Nope, that’d be too ordinary.

Here is how secular values might be said to be inculcated in practice… If you are too religious to think your five daily prayers (or your Friday prayer) are more important than your particular duty of the moment as a soldier and act out according to such thoughts, then you’ll be in deep sh*t.

By: wj

wj — Tue, 13 May 2008 20:23:51 +0000

I must be missing (or misunderstanding) something basic here. Let’s see:
- the Turkish military views conscription as a way to inculcate secular values into masses of society.
- especially young men from poor and rural backgrounds.
- AKP is especially strong in the poor and rural areas (as opposed to the realtively wealthy urban areas).
- AKP’s share of the total popular vote is rising.

Somewhere, there is a serious disconnect here. Or, as I say, I have seriously misunderstood something. Because what the rise in the AKP vote would seem to suggest is that either conscription is being counterproductive at establishing a secular mindset . . . or the AKP is nothing like a religiously-oriented party (which Michael, at least, would strongly disagree with). Help?

By: Christina

Christina — Tue, 13 May 2008 08:20:08 +0000

I think 15 months is too long.
There was mention of an announcement for mothers day for all mums with sons serving now but I cant seem to find any mention of it now. I was hoping conscription was going to be cut ?

By: Nihat

Nihat — Mon, 12 May 2008 21:26:51 +0000

Conscripts do not ever rise in the army. The best prospect the few interested amongst them can create for themselves is to stay as specialist sergeants (i.e., continue as professional soldiers, rather commandos). The officer corps is already drawn overwhelmingly from separate military schools from ninth grade level and up. Creating an elite corps should therefore not worry us much.

The gradual transition discussed would have other advantages. One, for example, is to start better accommodating consciencious objectors, and getting women to serve, too, in uniformed or non-uniformed areas of need. Like social services, education, health care, etc. in addition to military as needed. If the term of service can be decreased to six months, it can even be applied universally to everyone within the age window of 18 to 21. There is your better way for the national institution to keep its influence over hearts and minds.