Turkish Military Warns Islamic-rooted Gov't

(Sorry folks. Work's been keeping me busy lately.)

Herald Sun reporting from Ankara: TURKEY is facing a political crisis after the Islamist-rooted Government clashed with the army over the latter's threat of action to defend the country's secular regime.

The row erupted after Parliament began voting on Friday on a new president in a process where the sole candidate is a former Islamist fielded by the Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's Justice and Development Party. The prospect of the candidate, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, becoming head of state alarmed secularists about Islam creeping into all fields of life and prompted the opposition to boycott the vote, robbing the Government of the required two-thirds majority.

The staunchly secularist Turkish army then issued a harsh warning against questioning the country's secular system and said it would “openly display its position and attitudes when it becomes necessary.” Full story.

+ NPR: Turkey's Military on Guard Against Islam in Politics

Other news:
+ Pakistan Suicide Bomber Kills 22, Wounds Interior Minister
+ Russia cries blasphemy as statue to war dead is taken down

+ Al-Qaeda attacks on military bases foiled: Scotsman - 20 hours agoAL-QAEDA terrorists suspected of plotting spectacular suicide attacks using hijacked aircraft against western military bases in the Gulf were foiled by a huge security sweep by Saudi forces yesterday.
+ Saudis Arrest 172 Militants in Oil Plot


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Diversion from a mad, mad world.