What’s going on with old friends?

Perhaps the claims raised by Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu of the Republican People’s Party, or CHP, have played a role in this and even Fırat’s health problems have pitched in, too. But I believe the real problem between these two friends is the difference of opinion on the "Kurdish issue." I write articles that Erdoğan has given up on making radical statements since the end of 2004 and adopted a policy of pleasing a party group that was transferred from the National View to AKP.

In this direction, Erdoğan had even started to make excuses in Turkey’s accession bid to the European Union and sold out Alevis at once! But his attitude against the military’s involvement in politics was then keeping Erdoğan away from the line of pro-status quo. To this end, his reaction to the Apr. 27 military e-memorandum became one of the factors that brought Erdoğan a victory in the July 22 general elections.

Besides the deep silence the former Chief of General Staff Gen. Yaşar Büyükanıt kept after reaching the famous Dolmabahçe consensus with Erdoğan caused rumors against the general. But regardless of the motives, Büyükanıt’s hawkish stance against the passive opposition was registered as a political success on Erdoğan’s account. The appointment of Gen. İlker Başbuğ as the new top military commander has turned all the balances upside down.

In the aftermath of the Aktütün attack committed by the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, weaknesses of the Turkish Armed Forces, or TSK, became the central topic of media debates. And the government kept complete silence against the criticisms that razed the TSK to the ground. After Taraf daily published some photographs and intelligence information about the attack, government spokesman Cemil Çiçek likened the TSK to the televised game show Big Brother Watching.

Then, Başbuğ suddenly started to lash out at the media as though he was scolding at his batman. But the real target was Taraf daily. After that day, Mr. Prime Minister who held his tongue against the criticisms raised against TSK fiercely criticized Taraf daily. I think disloyalty towards a newspaper that openly takes side with the government through anti-militarist policies they have adopted will be noted down in the line while the history of AKP is being written.

Even Taraf daily, as a natural ally, had to use the term "Prime Minister of the General". It seems that a new agreement reached between TSK and AKP on that day and Erdoğan adopted the familiar pro-status quo attitude towards the Kurdish issue. He became our new hawk. Erdoğan’s tough stance proves that he has already sacrificed the Southeast in the approaching local elections.

Mr. Prime Minister’s remarks such as "Love it or leave it" and his finding pump-riffle attacks against the pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party, or DTP, almost righteous show that Erdoğan doesn’t recognize the law in the subject matter and even forgets what the duty of the security forces is in this country.

Some former liberal and new pro-AKP columnists must have been disturbed by this sudden change of attitude so much that they have started to raise objections against Erdoğan. Irrespective of how the sides voice the issue, Mr. Prime Minister separated ways with his closest comrade for adopting hawkish stance in the Southeast. Appointment of Abdülkadir Aksu to Fırat’s position clearly explains why Erdoğan goes separate ways with Fırat.

In the July 22 elections, Erdoğan had also taken a different route with Aksu, who became the target of various claims while he was the interior minister. But now they get together again. A Kurdish descent Aksu may have many supporters and enemies but we all know that both TSK and the status quo feel close to him as well!