BY NASUHI GUNGOR
STAR- We're starting this week with the first hearing in the Ergenekon trial, the most important case in our recent history. The course of the trial, with its witnesses, accusations and the facts that come out, will likely be much talked about, and these discussions will color the trial. The tension which followed the recent terrorist PKK attack on the Aktutun military outpost and developments between the government, army, and media are inseparable from Ergenekon. We can see this from Chief of General Staff Gen. Ilker Basbug's angry statements (against Taraf daily's coverage) after the attack. Obviously the Ergenekon case will cause more tension. We still don't know how retired Generals Hursit Tolon and Sener Eruygur will figure in the case. But Gen. Galip Mendi's visit to them in prison on behalf of the General Staff hinted at where the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) stand, though the effect of this is unclear.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been criticized for supporting Chief of General Staff Gen. Ilker Basbug's statements. Of course he could have stayed silent and watched how the debate unfolded, but that's not Erdogan's way. What's more, the political tension is so high that it precludes calm discussion. Looking at the issue in terms of freedom of press is needed, but it's not enough. Seeing Erdogan's move as taking sides with the TSK or retreating from democratic gains is hardly fair.
Erdogan took a serious risk with his statements, as the reactions to him show. But many people fail to see that he was actually trying to keep things from getting out of control. If Taraf's disrespectful coverage of Erdogan promotes a more democratic discussion of this issue, then it should continue it. But ignoring Erdogan's role and power to keep anti-terrorist efforts within democratic bounds helps no one. Erdogan said these determined efforts are continuing within democracy and that no solution outside of democracy will be sought. These words give important clues about the limits Erdogan wants to maintain on the issue. The most difficult aspect of the fight against terrorism is the balance our politicians strike between democracy and security. Ignoring this balance and expecting politicians to act like newspaper columnists or intellectual would be strange.
We're also due to see another important development this week: The Constitutional Court will release its full decisions on two critical decisions (upholding the university headscarf ban and turning back the closure case against the ruling Justice and Development Party, AKP). We'll not only discuss the limits reached or not reached by the Ergenekon probe, but also see the political effect of these decisions. The Supreme Court's headscarf ruling almost drew the limits of politics, and its decision not to close the AKP effectively gave everybody another chance. Would our politicians dare cross these lines again?