Was The Crisis Put Off?

BY MURAT YETKIN
RADIKAL- The first days of President Abdullah Gül at Cankaya haven't been so easy. He can't enjoy being the new president. He's enduring the protest of the military against his presidency, even as he is their commander-in-chief.

As a matter of fact, these developments are clearly outside the boundaries of the normal course of politics. Since his press conference of April 12, the chief of General Staff has been balking at an AKP member whose wife wears a headscarf being elected president, and he's also allowing the military under his commandership to do the same.

Let's look at what has happened since Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul was elected president on Monday:

A half-hour after Gul was elected, the invitation for the Victory Day reception reached the Cankaya Palace. The invitation was for Gul alone, not the new first lady. It was perhaps one of the most difficult tests for Chief of General Staff Gen. Yasar Buyukanit that it was the wife of the president who wouldn't be allowed onto the military's turf due to its rules.
Not only the invitation for the Victory Day reception, but also those for the graduation ceremonies of the Gulhane Military Medical Academy (GATA), Land Force Cadet School, Air Force Cadet School and Naval Force Cadet School didn't include the first lady.
At the ceremony at GATA, Gen. Buyukanit and the soldiers showed their harsh reactions to Gul. They neither saluted nor applauded him properly. They referred to him as "respected president" rather than the usual "my respected president."
But at Victory Day ceremonies yesterday this atmosphere was dispelled a bit. Buyukanit smiled for a photo with the president and prime minister. He even said "my respected president," which gave the government a sigh of relief. Of course we have many such occasions ahead: the welcoming reception President Gul and his wife will hold, Parliament's inaugural reception on Oct. 1, etc. But this brings a question to mind: Has the crisis been put off? The question has a point because the impression that secularism only interests the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) may harm both the TSK and the principle of secularism itself. Thus the officers must have considered it. The opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) was the party which allowed Gul to become president taking part in the presidential vote, ensuring the necessary quorum of 367. There are also signs that main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal is fine tuning his party's policies. Apparently Baykal wants his party members not to say things which may be interpreted as provocations or being a mouthpiece for the military. Thus we can say that the CHP, following the MHP, is favoring a low-profile policy to continue opposition within the boundaries of democracy.