Turkish coup - anyone up to speed?

[mralstoner]

I haven't read into it. All I've heard is that Erdogan blamed the coup on Gulen.

Exsqueeze me? Gulen was Erdogan's Islamist mentor. I thought those two were peas in a pod?

But lately Erdogan has fallen out with Gulen, and he blamed the coup on Gulen.

Past coups in Turkey have been by the secular/Kemalist military against Islamists, but this one has me confused.

At a guess, I'd say that Erdogan is up to his usual tricks, always trying to grow his dictatorship powers.

A few years ago Erdogan faked charges against hundreds of military, journalists and academics.

This could be more Erdogan games.

[vorlon13]

Coup is an opportunity for Erdogan to clean house, and actual guilt/innocence* is irrelevant to him since he 'won'.

* clearly, the actually 'guilty are in deep shit, but problem people in the org chart regardless of participation in the coup attempt or not are looking at grim prospects too.

[mralstoner]

The fingers do seem to be pointing at the Gulen movement ...

http://rodrik.typepad.com/dani_rodriks_w...-coup.html

[abaris]

No, Erdogan is pointing fingers at Gülen. There's a crucial difference there.