Coup Reportedly in Progress in Turkey

By "part of the military"

@putintintin1/Twitter

Military forces in Turkey have apparently taken over the state broadcaster and announced they had seized control of the country to restore "constitutional democratic human rights," according to a local journalist's account.

The prime minister of Turkey Binali Yildirim announced there was an "illegal attempt" at an uprising by "part of the military," but that it would be "wrong to call it a coup," saying it would "not be allowed to succeed," as reports from Turkey mention low-flying jets and gunfire in the capital of Ankara, and the closings of bridges connecting bicontinental Istanbul over the Bosphorus. There may also be a hostage situation at the military headquarters in Ankara. The military has reportedly imposed a curfew and soldiers on the streets are telling residents to go home—it is late evening in Istanbul, which is on Arabia Summer Time (GMT +3).

Recep Erdogan, who has been the president since 2014 and the prime minister from 2003 until then, has faced on-again off-again anti-government protests for years, and has been accused of turning the country into a paranoid, authoritarian one-party state. Turkey has also faced a number of terrorist attacks in the last year, in Istanbul, Ankara, and elsewhere, mostly attributed to the Islamic State (ISIS) which operates in neighboring Iraq and Syria, and an extremist offshoot of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

Comments

[John]

Thank God. Erdogan is destroying the country. I hope they succeed.

[Mongo]

Yep - I was wondering when the military was going to take action.

[Lee Genes]

It's overdue. Erdogan has been inciting extremist factions for far too long.

[Austrian Anarchy]

They are making sure they get this coup in before GB cuts off the EU gravy train.

[Hyperion's Post Brexit Moment]

You really think that Theresa May won't find a way to stall this as long as possible? The Brits will have to throw her out if they ever want this done.

[Agammamon]

She's already found her way - she says she will not go ahead with invoking Article 50 until *all* of the UK is satisfied with the exit plan.

This is basically opening the door for Scotland and the disaffected parts of NI and Wales to slip in and scuttle the whole thing.

[Austrian Anarchy]

Just like Mrs. Clinton releasing the transcripts of her speeches when "everybody else" releases theirs. Some tricky gals out there in politician land.

[Procrastinatus]

Exactly. George Bush will put an end to the gravy train.

[Fist of Etiquette]

The coup d'?tat is okay, as long as you don't do it using insulting poems.

[Ken Shultz]

Yeah, Erdogan may suddenly find himself on the wrong side of that law.

Now, now Mr. Erdogan, you know it's a crime to say such things that are demeaning to the government.

[Ken Shultz]

My understanding is that the Turkish military has historically stepped in to overthrow governments in defense of secularism.

I'm not sure that's always such a bad thing.

My understanding is that the Egyptian coup that chased the Muslim Brotherhood from power was wildly popular and served to save democracy from the Brotherhood rather than squelch it.

There's also the question that the Weimar Republic left us with: Should a democracy be allowed to vote itself out of existence?

If the German military had stepped in and prevented the Nazis from taking power, I'm sure some would have called it a blow against democracy.

[robc]

There's also the question that the Weimar Republic left us with: Should a democracy be allowed to vote itself out of existence?

Also Venezuela.

[Hank Phillips]

Venezuela quit forcing people to vote at gunpoint nearly 30 years ago. Australia and Brazil still frogmarch voters to the unverifiable "secret" ballot polls. Most anti-american banana republic governments are elected because the pro-american parties and factions are totalitarian prohibitionists interested only in jailing hippies and raping women and forcing them to reproduce. Venezuela's current dictatorship sends men with guns to make sure women die of sepsis from back-alley abortions. The only real difference is the names on the Swiss bank accounts. The ideology is mixed-economy Murrican that would make any Republican or Tea Party conservative swell with pride.

[Trigger Warning]

Um, what?

[Agammamon]

You know, the usual 'everything bad is the fault of the right wing, especially when it comes from policies created and implemented by the left wing'.

Its why, even though Venezuela has a leftist government, has nationalized major industry sectors, and has been implementing command-and-control communism - its all *actually a fascist plot*.

[Deep Lurker]

Then there's the example of Chile.

[Mongo]

I'm surprised they allowed Erdogan to sack their officers over the years.

[Ken Shultz]

It was supposed to be different this time because of that.

I guess they've had enough.

[Stormy Dragon]

So if the US military overthrew the government of South Carolina and forced Christians to bake gay wedding cakes and share bathrooms with transsexuals in the name of defending secularism, you'd think that would be a great thing?

[Lee Genes]

Last I checked, those Christians weren't blowing up their neighbors nor threatening to do so.

[Zeb]

If there was really a danger of a religious takeover of the government, then it might be a more preferable thing. Definitely not great.

It's certainly not a good thing that Turkey needs periodic coups to keep from becoming another explicitly Islamic state. But it seems likely to be better than the alternative.

[Ken Shultz]

Look at the Egyptian coup against the Muslim Brotherhood.

The Brotherhood was destroying the Constitution, and the coup was wildly popular (or that's my understanding).

Revolutions, when an uprising fights the military and overthrows the government, can be good or bad. I think the one by the thirteen colones against England was good. I think the revolution that installed Castro in power was bad.

If the military itself overthrows an oppressive government, that isn't necessarily a bad thing.

[Jay Dubya]

"The Brotherhood was destroying the Constitution"

Im no fan of the MB, but just out of curiousity what exactly were they doing in egypt that was on par with, say, assassinating and/or imprisoning elected officials?

Egypt remains a disaster. The reality is that the military overthrew the MB after it became clear their own puppet candidates would not play as large a role as they hoped after they assisted the last administration exit stage left & another mass protest gave them an excuse. Oh, and they get a huge chunk of change from the State Department, which doesnt even give a shit about the US constitution let alone the Egyptian one.

What Egypt is experiencing is a military dictatorship. Arguing whether such a regime is better or worse than a religious authoritarian regime is silly & pointless. They are both terrible.

[Ken Shultz]

"Im no fan of the MB, but just out of curiousity what exactly were they doing in egypt that was on par with, say, assassinating and/or imprisoning elected officials?"

Morsi proclaimed himself the ultimate authority until the final draft of the Constitution was ratified--which was meant to happen soon. "Soon" is also when Jesus comes back. Until the ratification, Morsi proclaimed that all his decisions were final and irrevocable.

The Constituent Assembly and Shura Council were both declared immune from dissolution--even as the Muslim Brotherhood used them to rewrite the final draft of the Constitution to ensure their permanent domination of the government.

The coup by the Egyptian government was in response to popular protests against these and other shenanigans.

"A military source said as many as 14 million people in this nation of 84 million took part in Sunday's demonstrations in sweltering heat."

http://tinyurl.com/hsjwt5h

The Muslim Brotherhood lost the Egyptian street, and the nation celebrated the coup.

If you have conflicting information, I'd love to read it.

[Ken Shultz]

"The reality is that the military overthrew the MB after it became clear their own puppet candidates would not play as large a role as they hoped after they assisted the last administration exit stage left & another mass protest gave them an excuse."

Did I say that the Egyptian military didn't have its own interests at heart?

Did I say that the Egyptian military only cares about loving kindness and helping people?

No.

I said it was my understanding that the coup was wildly popular when it happened.

[OneOut]

My zEgyptian friend is an upper middle class Swedish educated pot smoker, 3 beers a week drinker Muslim.

His take is that the Egyptian people were not going to let the beards take over.

We're not like the Arabs dumbasses he says.

He has also told me that when he was a teen that there were from time to time Western news people filming on the streets of Alexandria, his home town. He and his buddies would get paid a few bucks to scream " down with Amerikkka " or similar.

They had to take their American sneakers off first and let one buddy hold them so they wouldnt get stolen and he shared in the pot they bought with the money.

[C. S. P. Schofield]

There has been a religious takeover of the government. The Federal Government, and in many cases the State governments as well, is held by a clique who believe (without any evidence, and against all logic) that centralised authority is the answer to all ills, and that they are divinely suited to weild such power.

That they do not admit to being a Theocracy does not change that they are one, and underlines their fundamental dishonesty.

[Heroic Mulatto]

*gets popcorn*

[Lee Genes]

You better be sharing

[Krabappel]

Have you ever had popcorn popped in bacon fat?

[Heroic Mulatto]

Have you ever had popcorn popped in bacon fat?

No, but that is now on my agenda.

[GroundTruth]

/me shudders..... oooooohhhhhhm, bacon!

[Swiss Servator]

HM...you are a treasure. And I don't mean that in the "we should lock him up in a Swiss Bank or a museum exhibit" sense.

[Ken Shultz]

I didn't say I had an absolute answer to the question of whether democracies should be allowed to vote themselves out of existence.

I certainly didn't say I support all coups. I didn't even say I supported this coup exactly.

I just said "I'm not sure [stepping in to save secularism is] always such a bad thing".

[This Machine]

RRRRRETARD.

[Eternal Blue Sky]

Yeah, I'm not the biggest fan of Turkish (or French for that matter) style Secularism, the style where you ban people from wearing the clothing they want to wear if that clothing is religious in nature on public property.

Because, you know, a guy wearing a crucifix around his neck at a public university will somehow uproot the division between Church and State and the next thing you know you get Theocracy!!

That being said, Ergodan is definitely a push WAY to far in the opposite direction. It's sad that the only party that wants to address the areas in Turkey where secularism has gone overboard and started INFRINGING on rights instead of protecting them is the crazy one that wants more Islam in politics.

Islamists versus asshole "secularists", there's just no /good/ freedom of religion answer in Turkey. Ergodan threatened more than freedom of religion, so it should be good that he's gone. But it's a military coup, so we'll have to wait and see where this is going.

[MWG]

This^

The commentariat has lost its fucking mind. I mostly blame trump as it seems the authoritarian takeover of H&R began around the time he sealed the nomination.

[Hyperion's Post Brexit Moment]

and forced Christians to bake gay wedding cakes

Umm, isn't the Obama administration already doing that?

[Charles Easterly]

"You can't bake your cake unless wemake you do"?

[Charles Easterly]

Incorrect application of HTML, yet I think I will let it rise to the occasion.

[Hyperion's Post Brexit Moment]

Nah, your HTML is good, it's just that spacing thing. I really wish H&R supported full implementation of HTML along with media uploading. And dare I say.... 'edit feature'?

[Hank Phillips]

I wish. The Calico Cat and The Gingham Dog solution to the "two" party looter kleptocracy appeals hugely to my sense of humor. The Kenyan should have the guts to put the ku klux in their place...

[Deep Lurker]

Well, there was that one time when the US military overthrew the government of South Carolina, after South Carolina got bitchy over that business of what people with dark skins could or couldn't be forced to do.

[Hank Phillips]

I'd have a hard time keeping a straight face. Schadenfreude and karma tend to feed on each other. Isn't SC one of those prohibitionist mohammedan-style States that kidnaps people for ransom over hemp seeds and roots? Isn't SC home to Seneca, where Trooper Tiller murdered the Hammond kid in cold blood over some imaginary drug deal, and Solicitor Chrissy Adams lied to keep the murderer from facing charges? I will whoop with joy when the Kenyan forces all of you ku klux crackers to eat dog turds and die on the Christian basis of as ye sow so shall ye reap.

[True Scottsman]

AC! This guy ^ got into your stash!

[ant1sthenes]

No, but if a President Santorum was setting himself up as a theocratic dictator in violation of the Constitution, I would hope they would honor their oaths to the Republic.

[Agammamon]

Nope. Because a) that's not secularism and b) I support increased freedom, not a lessening of it.

Now, if the US military overthrew the government of South Carolina and *stopped forcing* bakers of any stripe to bake wedding cakes for gay unions (there is no such thing as a 'gay wedding cake' - it might be camp but its still a cake) or allowed private parties to decide how their restrooms would be divvied up, in the name of defending freedom, I might be able to get behind that.

[Haybob]

Mmmm turkey with stuffing and mashed potatoes

[mashed potatoes]

I'm enjoying this 😉

[mashed potatoes]

Fuck you very much erdogan. Good bye. This a great start to the weekend. Maybe the military will try him for his chemical attacks in Syria.

[Ken Shultz]

Great start to the weekend? The week itself could have hardly been worse.

The way things are going, I'm likely to get bitten by a shark.

[Crusty Juggler]

If you do, can we get pics? Thanks.

[Playa Manhattan.]

Are you swimming at the pier?

[chemjeff]

That's why you should bring a chainsaw with you when you go swimming.

[You Sound Like a Prog (MJG)]

#PrayForErdogan

[mashed potatoes]

Military is already reporting they have the government.

[Zeb]

So who is the Prime Minister of Turkey?

"The prime minister of Turkey Binali Yildirim..."

"Recep Erdogan, who has been the president since 2014 and the prime minister since 2003"

[Eternal Blue Sky]

Binali Yildirim came to power a month and a half ago. Recep Ergodan's tenure as PM ended in 2014.

[Stormy Dragon]

If the government of a NATO country is overthrown, does the NATO treaty obligate the rest of NATO to go in and put them back in power?

[mashed potatoes]

Oh God. Don't give them ideas. We're already allies with too many jihadi sympathizers.

[Lee Genes]

That's a more interesting question.

Don't think so, but couldn't say for certain. That said, I sincerely doubt any of the NATO leaders are going to lift a finger to protect Erdogan (except possibly Merkel because she appears to be just about that stupid).

[VG Zaytsev]

Bammy will want to. Hopefully the US military will stop him.

[True Scottsman]

Oohhh! Double coup!

[Zeb]

That's a good question.

Seems unlikely that Turkey would have been allowed into NATO if that were the case, though, since it does happen somewhat regularly.

[That's A Bingo!]

No. Article 5 is for an outside attack.

[Stormy Dragon]

Actual text of Article 5:

"The Parties agree that an armed attack against one or more of them in Europe or North America shall be considered an attack against them all and consequently they agree that, if such an armed attack occurs, each of them, in exercise of the right of individual or collective self-defence recognized by Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations, will assist the Party or Parties so attacked by taking forthwith, individually and in concert with the other Parties, such action as it deems necessary, including the use of armed force, to restore and maintain the security of the North Atlantic area.

Any such armed attack and all measures taken as a result thereof shall immediately be reported to the Security Council. Such measures shall be terminated when the Security Council has taken the measures necessary to restore and maintain international peace and security."

No distinction between outside or inside attacks.

[(((Renegade)))]

You assume country = government. Nuh-uh.

[Stormy Dragon]

I'm assuming "parties" = governments since they're the organizations that actually signed the treaty.

[(((Renegade)))]

Apparently poor assumption.

[Heroic Mulatto]

Turkey has been a NATO member since 1952, since that time Turkey has undergone 3 armed coups d'etat not including the present one.

[Pay up, Palin's Buttplug!]

Plus two coups by memorandum.

[Jerry on the rocks]

There have plenty of coups in Greece and Turkey when they were already NATO members.

[NoVaNick]

There was one coup in Greece, in 1967. The army ousted the elected socialist government led by George Papandreou, and ruled as a junta until 1974 when democracy was restored and the royal family was kicked out. Leftists claim that the CIA was behind this (which would also explain the lack of NATO involvement), with the backing of Spiro Agnew and Standard Oil, who depended on Greek-owned tankers to ship oil from the Middle East. Not sure how accurate this is, but hey, it fits with their narrative.

Sorry for the history lesson, but as a Greek-American, I felt obliged.

[Ron]

if a government is overthrown shouldn't their treaties be nullified unless our treat says we will step in to fend off any coups which would be stupid we could end up supporting fighters on multiple sides much like in Syria and Iraq.

[kevrob]

Read up on Pacta sunt servanda and Clausula rebus sic stantibus. Short answer: sometimes yes, sometimes no.

Sophomore year PoliSci International Law hasn't completely deserted my brain cells.

[Charles Easterly]

If the government of a NATO country is overthrown, does the NATO treaty obligate the rest of NATO to go in and put them back in power?

Is your answer "Not if the signatories find it convenient to exclude said nation at, or at any time thereafter, the time of said overthrowing"?

[Agammamon]

No.

[commoditous]

Never forget.

[(((Renegade)))]

Linkee no workee.

[Zeb]

Workee for me, but I don't get it.

[commoditous]

Damn. It's a really striking photo of this woman.

[Wasteland Wanderer]

Error 1011
Access denied
What happened?

The owner of this website (arynews.tv) does not allow hotlinking to that resource (/en/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Turkish.jpg).

Never forget!

[(((Renegade)))]

The military is enraged over the detente with the Jew state.

j/k, I wouldn't be surprised to find out that Israel rendered some assistance to the Turkish military.

[Adans smith]

There's nothing like a good,old fashion Turkey shoot.

[Swiss Servator]

Or a good old fashioned *narrowed gaze*

[Tak Kak]

Has Fethullah G?len been linked to this yet?

[That's A Bingo!]

There's been reports, by which I mean tweets.

[Tak Kak]

Conspiracy proven then.

[That's A Bingo!]

Sky News said that when Erdogan was on FaceTime on local TV, he tried to pin it on Fethullah G?len.

[Tak Kak]

You're right: "this is not a country that can be run from Pennsylvania".

Maybe Gulen can close up all his charter schools soon.

[FD]

"...has been accused of turning the country into a paranoid, authoritarian one-party state."

Two-party is much better.

[Ron]

Yea two parties to keep the voters thinking they are making a difference they will never know they are coluding in the background while putting up fights in public. Reminds me a somewhere?

[Playa Manhattan.]

Has Tarran been around lately?

I'd like his take on things.

[Timon 19]

Me too. I've got a lot of affection for the country and its people, having worked there some a few years back.

I despise Erdogan, but this coup shit isn't a great way to go about things.

I just hope my friends and colleagues are OK. Know a bunch of engineers in Ankara.

[That's A Bingo!]

Erdogan live via FaceTime on local Turkey TV.

[Heroic Mulatto]

I don't know if you guys are watching the live stream on Youtube, but there is some crazy shit going on.

[Suthenboy]

*facepalm*

I never learn

[You Sound Like a Prog (MJG)]

You son of a bitch.

[Swiss Servator]

I....I...liked that.

[Charles Easterly]

HM,

I do not recall if I have previously asked you if you had watched this movie Battle of the Warriors or not. Regardless, I am interested in your opinion (and the opinion of several others who have commented here on H&R whose monikers are too numerous for me to list or recall).

It seems to me that the latter parts and ending are a good fit with the "optimism" often expressed by our fellow commentators.

[Heroic Mulatto]

I don't recall ever seeing it, but Andy Lau and Fan Bingbing are always a good thing.

[Swiss Servator]

A different view of Turkish Army efficacy?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lChJz2DSpsE

[buybuydandavis]

The military has reportedly imposed a curfew and soldiers on the streets are telling residents to go home

Sounds like the Army has taken control, regardless of what the PM has to say.

[You Sound Like a Prog (MJG)]

"Senior US military source tells NBC News that Erdogan, refused landing rights in Istanbul, is reported to be seeking asylum in Germany."

So yeah, doesn't sound like the Pres has much control right now.

[That's A Bingo!]

I don't buy that report. That report came about at around the same time Erdogan was FaceTime'ing on local TV.

[You Sound Like a Prog (MJG)]

Reports that a loyalist helicopter fired missiles at the state TV station to stop the military broadcasts.

That's one way to do it, I guess. Hope that doesn't mean a bunch of engineers and runners just got murdered so Erdogan could save face.

[bassjoe]

I wouldn't put it past Erdogan.

[bassjoe]

I wouldn't put it past Erdogan.

[You Sound Like a Prog (MJG)]

Very presidential of Erdogan to encourage people to "take to the streets" as the police and army fight it out, and helicopters fire on targets on the ground.

[Old Man's and Trail 2]

Ok, I don't know anything about turkey unless it is November. So is Erdogan Trump and the army Hillary or vice versa?

[Crusty Juggler]

All I know is that Nesihan Darnel better be safe. If she is in danger I am calling for President Obama to send in the SEALs.

[You Sound Like a Prog (MJG)]

Thank you.

[Swiss Servator]

*checks Retired Reserve status*

READY TO intervene!

[Crusty Juggler]

I'd join you, but I will be on a secret mission with my agency colleague, Wayne Simmons.

[Old Man's and Trail 2]

You sir are alright!

[Sidd Finch v2.01]

http://dailycaller.com/2016/07.....ic-cleric/

[logy]

Thank God. Erdogan is destroying the country. I hope they succeed.

http://www.bramjx.net/

[The Grinch]

Shame it's come to this but if Erdogan gets Mussolinied I won't shed any tears. Hopefully it'll be over quick.

[Hyperion's Post Brexit Moment]

Damnit. Why can't we have a coup? Why do they get to have all the fun? I want a coup.

[Dr. Jonathan Crane]

I want a coupe too. Preferably with low miles.

[Mauser]

I have a coupe, nice lil shiny darlin.

[Swiss Servator]

Not unless I go back on duty. I want to be Military Governor of one of the suburban counties of Chicago, at the least.

[Playa Manhattan.]

One-kidneyed Colonel of Kane County. Copyright Playa Manhattan 2016. Let's talk compensation.

[Swiss Servator]

DONE!

[Hyperion's Post Brexit Moment]

I wonder if Erdogan will get a job in the Hillary admin? He seems the right type of authoritarian for the job.

[That's A Bingo!]

Bill, Hillary, And Chelsea Foundation. More money than a government job. Erdogan is dead broke, after all.

[Sevo]

So has Obo scheduled troops to 'assist' the good guys?

[Hyperion's Post Brexit Moment]

We have to wait for the real expert, Hillary, to manage this situation. Arab Spring 2.0. Europe better get going on those new settlement camps.

[Dr. Jonathan Crane]

Fuck Erdogan.

I have a good friend who lives in Istanbul who I know would personally beat the shit out of Erdogan if he had the opportunity to, so I'm sure he's celebrating tonight.

[dajjal]

Ugh. The only thing worse than a Muslim Caliphate is a Secularist one. We should send Cruz over there to start up Gilead.

[Pompey (91% LOLLOLZ)]

( ( ( o ) ) ) - if you can't ride bareback you shouldn't ride at all

[Hyperion's Post Brexit Moment]

I'm really not sure which is worse, a Muslim Caliphate, or a secular totalitarian police state. But it looks like humanity is winding down to those being the only 2 choices that are going to be available to anyone.

[Swiss Servator]

You should see a doctor about those concussion symptoms.

[Hyperion's Post Brexit Moment]

Is this a libertarian moment? We're obviously never going to get one, so at least watching it happen elsewhere is somewhat satisfying.

[XM]

Military Coups almost never result in a prosperous democracy. They have a spectacular record of failure in Asia.

The American revolution was that ONE time in history where a populist revolt not only prevailed but also resulted in a prosperous super power. The victors did not engage in blood thirsty agenda to consolidate more power for their clans, family name, etc. Yeah, yeah, America still owned slaves and it didn't immediately commit to civil rights, but the winners voluntarily laid out a foundation that checked their powers and restrained government. Voluntarily.

If these coups don't restrain the power of the state and keep radical Islam out of the governance (separation of church and state!) then nothing will change. They don't have to give women the right to drive or insist that the state can't officially recognize Islam. America had to fight another war and decades of civil rights struggle to recognize freedom for many people. But the constitution WAS always there. Someone had to actually fight for them.

[Stormy Dragon]

That's because the American revolution was actually more reactionary in nature than revolutionary. The british government tried to impose unpopular measures after the French-Indian War and the revolution mostly just returned things to the status quo.

[ant1sthenes]

America wasn't a coup or popular revolution, it was for all intents and purposes a conventional war between states.

[That's A Bingo!]

Obama says everyone should support the democratically elected Turkish government, which probably means the coup will succeed.

[Lee Genes]

Everybody get down and worship at the foot of Democracy, she is a fickle and vengeful god who cares not for your liberties and freedoms, just your purple thumbs.

[Arizona_Guy]

Best thing I've read all day.

[Hank Phillips]

The Kenyan also sent that Nazi bitch to destabilize Paraguay and Brazil.

[Mauser]

Well, Erdogan had it coming, he cracked down on the press, he promoted Islamism in government among other things. Of course Obama, Kerry, and 90% of world leaders are "condemning the overthrow of a democratically elected president " Well, given the Turkish military's history with coups, they all seemed necessary to an objective observer. I'm not a military junta supporter but in Turkey's case I think it's a great idea to kick some Erdogan and his cronies out.

[FD]

"Obama, Kerry, and 90% of world leaders are "condemning the overthrow of a democratically elected president "

Oh, gee. Now what would their motivation be to say a thing like that?

[waffles]

Wow, what a shitastic state of current events. If not for the triumphant return of Pok?mon I might feel all anxious and twitchy about the situation across the globe. It's the small joys that keep the big shit from ruining my day-to-day.

[Playa Manhattan.]

Triumphant.

[Sevo]

"Sorry, this page isn't available"

[Playa Manhattan.]

It was a flock of flamingoes walking around in lockstep, looking at things. So, just like pokemon

[PapayaSF]

Some people think this is Erdogan's plane.

[Playa Manhattan.]

Some people don't understand that government planes aren't trackable on the internet.

[Timon 19]

Some people don't understand that that is not always true.

I set up a Piaware tracker through FlightAware. My setup picked up a flight with the callsign SECDEF1. All the lookups confirmed it was the 747 model (Air Force One configuration, of which there are four) that is commonly used by high officials. I see refueling tankers all the time. I see Air Mobility Command C17s all the time.

[Dan S.]

As a general rule, military coups are bad things. But general rules have their exceptions, and this is one of them. Let's hope that freedom and secular government can be restored to Turkey.

[Aloysious]

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan 'flees country in private jet' after military launches coup

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/w.....ry-8431619

[Sevo]

"Turkish President Erdo?an restates call on people to go to city squares and airports; says 'I also will be with them'"
http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/.....lc-BBunxcC

Not unless that jet has a lot more seats than most.

[Sevo]

Well, maybe not:
"Editor's note: We are aware of reports that Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan may land at Istanbul's airport shortly. This has not been confirmed, and the airport was closed when the coup attempt began. However, we have seen crowds flood the airport and the president has recently tweeted he "will be with" the people of Turkey. - Stephanie"
http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/.....lc-BBunxcC

[Old Man's and Trail 2]

Well Obama and Kerry are calling for restraint so we all know how this will turn out.

[Swiss Servator]

Bloodbath?

[JayU]

How long until we get another "iconic" photo of someone standing in front of a tank in the middle of the road?

[waffles]

About tree-fiddy.

[Hank Phillips]

Go to Nice. Plenty of iconic photos there of people run over with an "assault vehicle" for the Glory of Allah the Merciful.

[__Warren__]

Looks like the coupsters have got the stuffing kicked out of them.

[Hank Phillips]

Snapping Turtle Turks and Hidden Persuaders shooting up the Ottoman Empire, prohibitionist religious fanatic murders in Vichy France Pepperland and Blue Meanies reviving prohibitionism in the You Kay... this is like watching Yellow Submarine thru some of that brown acid that was not, specifically, too good...

[Haybob]

This is one confusing coup who's winning?

[JayU]

No, he's on first.

[Haybob]

So what is winning?

[True Scottsman]

What's the guy's name who's winning?

[Tom Bombadil]

I don't know.
THIRD BASE!

[Hooha]

No, What's the guy's name who's winning.

[commoditous]

Watching the original Ghostbusters for the first time in probably twenty years.

It's almost adorable how brazen Murray is with the EPA guy.

[FD]

"And whats the magic word?"

[DaveSs]

Everything was fine with our system until the power grid was shut off by dickless here.

[__Warren__]

Is that true?

[The Libertarian Laird]

Yes, it's true. This man has no dick.

[NoVaNick]

Sounds prescient

[NoVaNick]

I was hoping to say good riddance but it looks like this tool Erdogan will remain in power. Too bad, he actually is a lot like Trump, a megalomaniac who claims to be for the common people, but then turns around and gets his dick sucked by whatever special interests happen to call.

[jesse.in.mb]

He probably micronaps in the 5 seconds between one twerk video ending and the next beginning.

[Swiss Servator]

I think he said all his people were gone - but his insight would be valuable, nonetheless.