Chief of General Staff Threatens "One Part of the Press"

In the course of a press conference made after a number of casualties in recent operations of the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK), Chief of General Staff, General İlker Başbuğ, made the following announcement:

"To say it frankly, one part of the press in Turkey is even worse than the press during the armistice in the War of Independence. Even the press during the armistice was not that treacherous."

The Turkish War of Independence was fought from 1919 to 1923. It was the political and military resistance developed by Turkish Nationalists to the Allied partitioning of the Ottoman Empire after its defeat in World War I.

The harshest reaction to Başbuğ's words came from Taraf newspaper, saying in the subheading, "The real traitor is the one who leaves children to die".

In yesterday's issue (3 May), Taraf newspaper argued that General Başbuğ called the press that voices criticism a 'traitor'.

Başbuğ: 'Not even the press during the armistice was that treacherous'

General Başbuğ made a press release after he had visited the Mausoleum of Kemal Atatürk, founder of the Turkish Republic, in Ankara together with his former fellow students from the Land Warfare School from which the group graduated in 1962.

"We said it several times; we have more than a thousand police troops and independent units in the military zones including the border lines. More than a thousand police troops and units in superior areas are sufficient in any case. Nobody should have a doubt about that".

"Of course, the casualties are breaking our heart. But for us there is no alternative but to continue this struggle with determination... Today an incident happens and without any piece of information it is immediately said that this was a complot and that it happened because of deficits and mistakes within the Turkish Armed Forces. This is treachery".

Taraf:  Blaming the press for being called to account

Taraf newspaper addressed five questions to General Başbuğ in their reaction publishe the following day: Why did you not take precautions for Giresun, Tunceli and Lice [Incidents where the TSK was targeted] ? Did you give alarm when you were notified about the attack in Tunceli? Were the police troops prepared? Why did it take 12 hours before help reached the raided police station? What were you waiting for? You said that you could not set out to help because of the rain. Did you think Tunceli was a holiday resort like Bodrum? Are the police troops in rainy, snowy, stormy regions left to be entrusted to God? Is it not your duty to do everything you can to protect them?"

"Press of the armistice is a myth"

Prof. Dr Uğur Kocabaşoğlu declared that the term "press of the armistice" used by General Başbuğ was a myth and that it was used incorrectly.

History Professor Kocabaşoğlu explained to bianet that this term was frequently used in allusion to the Armistice of Mudros that was signed between the Ottoman Empire and the Allies of World War I in 1918.

Prof. Kocabşoğlu continued, "This term is used with prejudice and in reference to a large part of the press that supposedly was against Anatolia, i.e. against the National Struggle - but this is not correct. This is what Başbuğ tried to say but it is wrong information. Apart from one or two newspapers the National Struggle was supported by the press in Istanbul". (EÖ/SP/TK/VK)