Less Military May Not Mean More Democracy

A quarrel had erupted within the Turkish judiciary over an investigation into Operation Sledgehammer- an alleged plot by some elements in the military to take over the government. Despite complaints of improprieties committed in the process of arresting people and searching homes, the government had decided to back the investigation.

While it was clear that the military had lost its political clout and that the probability of a military intervention had all but disappeared, such changes did not confirm that Turkish democracy was deepening. To consolidate democracy, Turkish politics was in need of a grand compromise.