Turkey Coup

It's not clear to me that the coup attempt is in fact completely done, but it's pretty clear it's done for.

The latest report I have found on the matter of President Erdoğan's whereabouts has him in Istanbul. One would think if the coup is completely quelled, he'd be in Ankara (although I did see a video report of his palace having been bombed, as well as the parliament building,  But that report also says "at least 200 soldiers turned themselves in to police in Ankara," according to Turkish state media.)  So, I'm still waiting for the fat lady to sing.

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim announced in a televised speech that [161] people died during the coup attempt in Turkey, late Friday night into Saturday morning, and more than 1400 were injured. He went on to say that 2839 members of Turkey’s military have been detained in connection with the coup attempt.

[...]

During his statement, he praised the citizens of Turkey for going on to the streets and risking their lives for democracy, calling their actions heroic.

[...]

Of those who took part in the uprising, he said that they came from various levels of the army, with some of them "high-ranking officers."

"My dear brothers, sister, these parallel gang members are now in the hands of the esteemed Turkish justice and they will be punished in every way they deserve through this process," said Yildirim.

[...]

Five generals and 29 colonels are relieved of their duty, according to Turkey’s Interior Ministry, and several high court judges are also being questioned.

At least one air force base in the country is still in control of the insurgents, according to the ministry.

[...]

President Erdogan, when speaking to his supporters, appeared to blame the coup attempt on Fethullah Gulen, a high-profile political figure and [Muslim] religious scholar based in the U.S. He lives in a gated compound in a small, leafy town in Pennsylvania.

  CNN

Wow. More US military commenters making it seem as though they were at least rooting for the coup-makers if not actively supporting them.

...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.

Undoubtedly, the US Supports/Sponsors the Coup in Turkey

UPDATE: Live video and reporting here.

TURKEY’s newly installed prime minister, Binali Yildirim, has dusted off a time-honoured formula for dealing with his country’s troublesome neighbours: turn down the rhetoric and act nicely. “Our most important foreign-policy goal is to increase the number of friends,” he said in a speech on July 11th. “There is no reason for us to quarrel with Iraq, Syria, Egypt; with the countries of this region.”

  Economist

Seems like a more reasonable response to the airport attack at the end of last month than the US response to 9/11.

Mr Yildirim has got off to a good start. In a single day last month, Turkey agreed to restore ties with Israel, with which it has been at odds since 2010, and apologised to Russia for bringing down a jet that veered into its airspace in November after a bombing run over Syria. Officials from the ruling party have since raised hopes of progress in peace talks in Cyprus, divided since 1974 between an internationally recognised Greek south and a Turkish-occupied north. They have also floated a cautious opening with Egypt and a rethink of Turkey’s botched Syria policy.

[...]

Turkey’s policy in the Middle East since 2011, once described by an adviser to Mr Erdogan as “precious loneliness”, has failed to pay dividends. Instead, it has left the country exposed to IS attacks, a renewed war in its Kurdish south-east, and tensions with allies. It is no surprise that Turkey has turned more genial; it needs all the friends it can get.

Yes, it does.  As does any country the US goes to work on.

...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.