Discussion
  • Read More
    SktroopGabrielle Bluestone
    7/15/16 4:57pm

    Just when you think the world has almost gone completely to shit, something comes along and attempts to remove the “almost” from that thought.

    Reply
    <
    • Read More
      ╰(　´◔　ω　◔ `)╯< Woke and BokeSktroop
      7/15/16 4:59pm

      This would be a good thing, unless it’s bungled. Current Turkish government is too religious. And by too religious, I mean insane.

      Reply
      <
    • Read More
      BCDFGSktroop
      7/15/16 4:59pm

      “Where are we going, and why am I in this handbasket?”

      -Earth

      Reply
      <
  • Read More
    ArdenGabrielle Bluestone
    7/15/16 4:59pm

    Good. Not only do military coups always bring in better, more Feedom-ier governments than those preceeding it (right, Egypt!?) The military is always totally willing to cede back power to the people once their purpose is fulfilled.

    I see absolutely no way this could possibly go wrong.

    Reply
    <
    • Read More
      noodlesinthefaceArden
      7/15/16 5:03pm

      You sound like you’re unfamiliar with the role the Turkish military has played in the last century. Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the republic of Turkey, installed the military as a bulwark against religious authoritarianism, and it has fulfilled that role multiple times to steer the country back towards democracy.

      Erdogan has been steering the country towards autocracy over the last few years.

      So while your snark is generally accurate in the sense of military coups, Turkey has a unique track record where the military has historically stepped in to restore democratic rule.

      Reply
      <
    • Read More
      Bono's BonerArden
      7/15/16 5:08pm

      Read some Turkish history; military coups have not always been bad things for that country. The military has often served as a safeguard against extremist secular governments, both of which Erdogan was becoming. He tried to cull the military brass to prevent this, but it’s looking like it’s the junior officers who are taking matters into their own hands here.

      Reply
      <
  • Read More
    OMG!PONIES!Gabrielle Bluestone
    7/15/16 4:55pm

    I bet that if Trump announced that he was going to switch VPs, he’d be able to get himself back to the top of Trending Topics.

    Reply
    <
    • Read More
      SlickWillieOMG!PONIES!
      7/15/16 4:56pm

      He’ll be having his own coup in the unlikely event that he’s elected

      Reply
      <
    • Read More
      ╰(　´◔　ω　◔ `)╯< Woke and BokeSlickWillie
      7/15/16 4:59pm

      Or not elected.

      Reply
      <
  • Read More
    bassguitarheroGabrielle Bluestone
    7/15/16 5:01pm

    The Prime Minister has said the coup failed, the military says it has successfully taken over the country.

    I suspect that even if this coup ISN’T successful, this is the end for Ergodan and the current regime. There’s no way to recover from this sort of thing, and it just makes them look weak.

    Goddamn, 2016 has NO chill. My only hope at this point is that the world’s been so hype that by the time 2017 rolls around, everybody’s too tired to wild and we can maybe have some peace.

    Reply
    <
    • Read More
      dallyanbassguitarhero
      7/15/16 5:11pm

      I don’t agree. Erdogan is quite popular and nothing seems to stifle his popularity amongst his supporters. This is coming from a thoroughly depressed, secular, pro-democracy Turk.

      Reply
      <
    • Read More
      Crispin Waughdallyan
      7/15/16 5:23pm

      His popularity isn’t what it once was. I mean, obviously-there’s a coup happening-but his electoral position has been weakening for a while now

      Reply
      <
  • Read More
    Seattle DanGabrielle Bluestone
    7/15/16 4:56pm

    Regardless of whether this coup succeeds or fails (and I make no prediction as to whether either of those scenarios will be good or not), I do hope that Erdogan eats a bullet to the face before it’s over.

    Reply
    <
    • Read More
      BCDFGSeattle Dan
      7/15/16 5:07pm

      Per Anatolia News, the scenario is that the senior officers are being held hostage by lower officers.

      So I’d be very careful with assumptions here —it could very well be that this is a pro-Islamist coup against the Kemalist-leaning military hierarchy, or simply a mutiny by disgruntled junior officers. Erdogan could be on either side of this.

      Reply
      <
    • Read More
      Hawkeye-15BCDFG
      7/15/16 5:16pm

      Reports are Erdogan has been arrested.

      Reply
      <
  • Read More
    Bolivia Newton JohnGabrielle Bluestone
    7/15/16 4:58pm

    Turkey can’t have a coup. It’s a free range wild fowl!

    Reply
    <
    • Read More
      ScottRaphaelBolivia Newton John
      7/15/16 5:08pm

      Reply
      <
    • Read More
      SpongyFrogScottRaphael
      7/15/16 5:15pm

      Thank you for posting what is, perhaps, my favorite video of all time. Watching it has become as much a Thanksgiving tradition for me as making my own cranberry sauce.

      Reply
      <
  • Read More
    BCDFGGabrielle Bluestone
    7/15/16 4:59pm

    Deutsche Weile, quoting Anatolia News, says that the scenario is that junior officers have taken the military’s top officers hostage:

    http://www.dw.com/en/military-co…

    Reply
    <
    • Read More
      Bolivia Newton JohnBCDFG
      7/15/16 5:02pm

      This is not without precedent

      Reply
      <
    • Read More
      BCDFGBolivia Newton John
      7/15/16 5:08pm

      …and this is totally without taste!

      Reply
      <
  • Read More
    Dave Gabrielle Bluestone
    7/15/16 4:56pm

    Let’s get this done: It’s nobody’s business but the Turks. Isssstannnnbullllll.

    Reply
    <
    • Read More
      Hank Kingsley's NewsletterDave
      7/15/16 4:58pm

      Reply
      <
    • Read More
      Bono's BonerHank Kingsley's Newsletter
      7/15/16 5:10pm

      Honest to god, seeing this episode of Tiny Toon Adventures as a kid was the very first time I heard anything about Istanbul or Constantinople. I miss that show.

      Reply
      <
  • Read More
    ╰(　´◔　ω　◔ `)╯< Woke and BokeGabrielle Bluestone
    7/15/16 4:56pm

    Thanks, Obama.

    Reply
    <
    • Read More
      Dave ╰(　´◔　ω　◔ `)╯< Woke and Boke
      7/15/16 4:59pm
      Reply
      <
    • Read More
      ╰(　´◔　ω　◔ `)╯< Woke and BokeDave
      7/15/16 5:00pm

      Credit where credit is due, bruh.
      It’s about time.

      Reply
      <
  • Read More
    boaboaboatengtengtengGabrielle Bluestone
    7/15/16 5:06pm

    —This is not the first time the Turkish military has done this: back in 1980 the military took over via a coup when they thought the government was getting too Islamist and moving too far from the principals of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.

    —Oddly I do not oppose this coup, because fuck Erdogan.

    Reply
    <
    • Read More
      SulaymanFboaboaboatengtengteng
      7/15/16 5:32pm

      Soo, you don't believe in following the laws when it's someone you dislike? The whole point of democracy is that all sides agree to peaceful voting instead of constant violence.

      Reply
      <
    • Read More
      Manny Both-HansSulaymanF
      7/15/16 5:51pm

      There is more than a little debate about how democratic the elections actually were. And can there ever truly be a fair election when one candidate jails people for daring to criticize him?

      Reply
      <