"A troubling trend
Monday, March 27th 2006
Turkey's legendary 'Deep State' has always attracted enormous interest for the manner in which it tends to shadow the legitimate state in Ankara and wield seminal influence and power in a variety of arenas. It operates outside and above the recognised state and its various arms at times of its own choosing and with potent effect. Shadowy, ill-defined and amorphous, Turkey's recipe for the 'Deep State' comprises sections of the powerful military forces, corrupt politicians, policemen, secretive para-military squads and tribal groups. It assumed greater significance recently when a former Turkish President and leader of seven governments in the 70s, 80s and 90s, Suleyman Demirel, spoke frankly about it following a show of force in the town of Semdinli by suspected 'Deep State' elements. In an interview with Turkish television, Demirel said 'It is fundamental principle that there is one state. In our country there are two… There is one deep state and one other state…The state that should be real is the spare one, the one that should be spare is the real one'. It is perhaps a gross exaggeration of the situation but succeeds in making the key point that at crucial moments the recognised state plays second fiddle when the 'Deep State' calls the shots."
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