Turkey’s Erdogan dropping lawsuits for insults against him

Ankara blames the reclusive cleric for the failed July 15 coup aimed at unseating President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

About 40 per cent of all generals and admirals in the military have been dismissed since the coup.

“We have certainly had relationships with a lot of Turkish leaders – military leaders in particular”, said Votel, the former head of U.S. Special Operations Command and one of the most respected officers in uniform.

Gulen is also accused of running a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police, and judiciary, forming what is commonly known as the parallel state. “We need to make a distinction between those who co-operate with those who carried out the coup, those who supported it and the real journalists”.

The Pentagon publicly disavowed involvement in this month’s attempted coup in Turkey during a press conference Friday.

Ankara has demanded the U.S. extradite Mr Gulen, who is living in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania.

Votel issued his statement after Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan condemned Votel’s earlier remarks that some military figures the United States had worked with were in jail as a result of the purge.

“Without doubt”, Cemil Ertem wrote in the Milliyet newspaper, Turkish efforts to resolve regional conflicts and fix relations with Russian Federation triggered the coup attempt.

“The putschist (Gülen) is already in your country, you are looking after him”.

Turkey is a key member of the US-led coalition fighting IS militants in Syria, with its Incirlik air base used as a launch hub for raids on the group. “We appreciate Turkey’s continuing cooperation and look forward to our future partnership in the counter-ISIL fight”, the general said, referring to IS.

There are further repercussions after Turkey’s failed coup.

He noted the West simply offered condolences and then followed up with messages of concern about those suspended or fired. “Turkey is being Erdoganised”, said Yilmaz.

The president insisted a broad crackdown on the Gulen movement was necessary and would continue.

“The ByLock data made it possible for us to map their network – at least a large part of it. They (later) switched to another app when they realised that ByLock was compromised”, said the official.

There were educational reforms, economic reforms, and other baby steps toward Islamization of the country.

“We are disturbed by our European and Western friends’ approach”, Cavusoglu told reporters.

“Do you support a nondemocratic coup”, or an “increasingly nondemocratic leader?”

“Some people give us advice”.

Turkish officials have said they believe the coup plot was put into force in haste before the council in August, when many officers suspected of links to Gulen would have been discharged.