Let me get this straight - you think military influence on a government is what can preserve democracy? Because you think that in the case of a government that is heavily military based, that military part of the government would be for people?
You're free to believe that, I suppose, but you'd be ignoring most of the world's history. Revolutions happen when normal people rise up against the government, no the military. The military is usually busy shooting those people.
The particular history of Turkish civil-military relations is something you should read into, because it's incredibly interesting. The military has historically been the guard of the official state ideology, ie Ataturk-ism, which is secular, nationalist, and in opposition to Islamic rule. If you think the greatest threat to democracy is theocratic Islamic rule, and that Erdogan's broadly Islamic (though democratically elected) government is likely to lead to that, then yes, it makes total sense to talk about the Army as the guarantor of democracy.
Do you have any context about the Turkish republic's history? I would suggest you read up a bit before condemning his views. The people view the Military as preserving the secular ideals of the country. The military is held in a very positive light, and is generally considered non-corrupt and honest. The governments on the other hand have been anything but. The current government has been curtailing military power, and at the same time severely limiting freedom of press. It also has been pushing an Islamic agenda, slowly and surely moving the country away from its secular roots. Turkish secularists are seeing this as a move away from democracy, rather than towards. People are being jailed for having any kind of anti-government views. For example, recently someone was jailed for re-tweeting a tweet which criticized the current administration. So yes, people do view the military as a savior for democracy.
From reading what people have been saying it seems like the military steps in when the it feels the government over steps the will of the people (secular ideals of the country). However, since this has to happen from time to time, it isn't really taking an active role in persevering democracy per se and mostly leaving it up to ordinary people through political processes (until they step in).
From what has happend so far pertaining to this situation, it seems like that is true: https://twitter.com/rmncr/status/340525959784562688 (translation via google: "Information: Gumussuyu Military Hospital citizen soldiers dealing mask. Thanks! #direngeziparkı #occupygezi")
I wonder what it would be like in the US if National Guard medics were to show up and pass out aid to people during OWS and related protests…
In most of the world, revolutions come bottom up. In Turkey, they came top down. It was the military that toppled the "sultan" and established the parliamentary system / Turkish Republic. And later it was a former general who set up the multi-party system (and didn't get elected).
I know it sounds off, but what the Founding Fathers did for the US, the generals did for Turkey. Not a very healthy one I agree, but at least they established whatever form of democracy Turkey has today.
> It was the military that toppled the "sultan" and established the parliamentary system / Turkish Republic
The Young Turk Revolution, while supported by one army corp didn't topple the Sultan. The Sultan (Mehmed VI) was deposed by the Grand National Assembly of the Turkish Republic, a political body.
Turkey was ruled by one party until 1946 like the ones in Soviet Union. After 4-5 years of the multi party election of the first prime minister that "honest" and "non-corrupt government" hung the prime minister after the coup. The last soft coup in 1998 costed Turkey by one estimation $300Bn. Wanna talk corruption, talk the military and all the state investments...
People often forget that armies have an awful lot of soldiers. Those soldiers have friends and families. They kinda represent a hell of a lot of the population. That can have quite some effect. Not always, but often enough. Commanders do have to have at least an eye on what the rank and file want and are prepared to do, or they risk being turned on.
military influence in turkish gov't doesn't preserve "democracy", rather the military kicks out any political party that doesn't fall in line with the country's hard-line secular ideals.
(I am re-posting my comment on about this article on this thread to make it shown since the comments got much larger for the top entry too long. Apologies if I am breaking any rule.)
This article is grossly misleading. Papers and televisions are showing what is going on, one can read from internet [11, 12, 13], and express his opinion. I live in States and even I can access all these information from here. Turkey is a democracy with multi party system similar to France since 1946. Unfortunately the minority group who held the power in Turkey for decades lost their control of most of the government and state after years of corruption with 2002 elections. In 2001 Turkish economy experienced a similar economic meltdown after a "soft" coup of the people who support and make the current demonstrations. The economic repercussions was so deep it effected almost everyone similar to what has been going on in Greece and Spain. Since then the new government handled economy and democratic process so well, even in the current terrible economic situation of the world Turkey managed to become the fastest growing economy in Europe. Turkey has made the last debt payment to IMF couple of weeks ago. For the first time her existence Turkish economy's credit rating became investment grade by Moody's on May 17th this year[1]. Most importantly the clash with the Kurdish minority ended with a new peace process. This is by far the most important achievement of the current government given the 30 years of history of violence in South Easy of Turkey. Over 40K people have died since it started in 1980.
The person who wrote this article and those demonstrators are hoping to show their anger towards the government akin to Egypt's Tahrir Square demonstrations. However this is all reading it backwards. Current government is popularly supported by the people and the support has increased with each consecutive poll since 2002, leading to 50% [3] of the popular vote the last time. This government is leading a commission and effort to write a new constituition to raise the standards of human rights in Turkey. This is one of the biggest selling point to end the Kurdish violence since they now feel their rights will be protected better in the future. Current constitution is put together in 1980 by the people who engineered the last "hard" coup in Turkey [5], a coup literally executed with brute force, guns and tanks. With this government the efforts to get into EU increased tremendously [6] and actually it has been their strategy to balance the power in Turkey against Military's long standing anti-democratic ambitions and practices.
Recent demonstrations at a park in Istanbul got bigger by exploiting the grossly wrong police brutality. Unfortunately where there is demonstration be it in US [7], Spain [8] or Greece [9], in any country the police is very heavy handed. Otherwise the park that is in middle of the city is part of project [10] that will transform the area and close all the motor vehicle traffic and allow only pedestrians. This is going to be done by diverting traffic to underground roads that will be build as part of the project. Decision for the project taken by the people who was elected including members both from ruling and opposition party, and was voted unanimously.
Author of this article and those demonstrators are supporting the old regime. A regime that dictates certain ideology build around a cult leader like the ones in former Soviet Union, China and North Korea. Ours is Ataturk. You have to think like them, act like them, speak like them, live like them. During my mandatory military service I was forced to memorize who is Ataturk which was a list of 10 items that goes like this: 1) Ataturk was the best person in the world 2) Ataturk was best statesman in the world 3) Ataturk is the best military leader in the world. And thise list goes on and on...
Let me give you an example of what this people againts. Can you buy liquor after certain hours in States? Can you walk with an open beer can, alcohol bottle? No, because in States, varying by state, shops can not sell alcohol after 10pm or 2am. For example in England even places where liquor served as part of the service has to close by 1am. When this government made a similar, banning sale of alchol from 10pm to 6am, these people made a big noise. This is one of the arguments they have been telling during these demonstrations.
You're free to believe that, I suppose, but you'd be ignoring most of the world's history. Revolutions happen when normal people rise up against the government, no the military. The military is usually busy shooting those people.