US embassy cable - 05ANKARA4563

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 004563 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EUR/SE 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/04/2015 
TAGS: MARR, PINR, TU 
SUBJECT: TURKEY'S SUPREME MILITARY COUNCIL MEETING PRODUCES 
FEW SURPRISES 
 
REF: ANKARA 4409 
 
Classified By: Political-Military Counselor Timothy A. Betts, reasons 1 
. 4 (b,d) 
 
1. (C) SUMMARY: The Turkish General Staff (TGS) announced on 
August 4 the decisions made by the Supreme Military Council 
(Yuksek Askeri Surasi - YAS) at its August 1-4 meeting, 
during which the promotion, retirement and re-assignment of 
Turkey's senior military officers, as well as the dismissal 
of military personnel for violations of "military discipline" 
were decided.  The announcements provided few surprises, with 
many of the changes following a predictable pattern of 
succession.  Only the selection of Aegean Army Commander LTG 
Kosaner to succeed GEN Basbug as Deputy Chief of Staff 
(DCHOD) was not expected.  Kosaner's appointment is 
considered a positive move.  END SUMMARY. 
 
PREDICTABLE SUCCESSION 
 
2. (SBU)  The 16-member YAS, composed of all 14 four-star 
generals and admirals, the Minister of Defense and the Prime 
Minister, held its annual meeting to decide the fate of 
Turkey's senior officer corps and to dismiss those NCOs and 
officers for violations of "military discipline" (normally 
meaning suspicion of having Islamic fundamentalist tendencies 
inconsistent with secular ideology of Ataturk's military.) 
All decisions will become effective on August 30. 
 
3. (U) This year's YAS meeting produced no big surprises, 
with many of the movements following a traditional pattern of 
succession (see reftel).  Turkish Air Forces Commander GEN 
Ibrahim Firtina, Naval Forces Commander ADM Ozlem Ornek and 
First Army Commander GEN Hursit Tolon (Note: Tolon has been 
publicly critical of US actions in Iraq. End Note.) completed 
their allotted four years in service and were retired.  As 
expected, Firtina will be succeeded by War Academies GEN 
Faruk Comert; ADM Ornek by Fleet Commander ADM Yener 
Karahanoglu; and Tolon by DCHOD Ilker Basbug. 
 
NEW DCHOD RELATIVELY UNKNOWN 
 
4. (C) Despite significant speculation over the successor for 
DCHOD Ilker Basbug, TGS managed to keep a tight lid on the 
decision.  The most often repeated name had been National 
Military Representative to NATO LTG Ergin Saygun, popular 
both within TGS and with his array of US military contacts. 
Aegean Army Commander Sebahattin Isik Kosaner, Fifth Corps 
Commander LTG Hasan Igsiz and (less frequently) MND Under 
Secretary LTG Atila Isik were also mentioned as contenders. 
 
SIPDIS 
In the last few days, LTG Aydogan Baboglu was also in the 
running, according to press reports.  The selection of 
Kosaner, while not expected, is not unwelcome.  Not viewed as 
being as charismatic or informal as Saygun, Kosaner is 
considered a traditional military officer who keeps his 
counsel and will take his lead from CHOD Ozkok, who will 
retire in 2006.  Given Kosaner's age and the mandatory 65 
year retirement age, it is unlikely that he will become CHOD. 
 LTG Saygun did receive his fourth star and will take over 
for Kosaner as Aegean Army Commander.  Because he was passed 
over for the DCHOD position, he will not have time to march 
the traditional path to TGS Chief from First Army Commander 
and Land Forces Commander in his four remaining years in 
service. 
 
OUT WITH THE ISLAMISTS 
 
5. (C) Consistent with past years, the YAS dismissed some 
NCOs and officers for behavior considered inconsistent with 
Turkish military ideology.  The numbers have ranged from 
hundreds of dismissals over the past decade, to a dozen or so 
in recent years.  This year eleven were dismissed for 
behavior perceived to be fundamentalist, i.e., attending 
Mosque in uniform; marrying a woman who wears a head scarf, 
etc..  The dismissals come after a process of counseling and 
warnings that go unheeded.  If past years are a guide, PM 
Erdogan will issue a statement expressing his disagreement 
with this process. 
MCELDOWNEY