02.02.2025 14:50
Mehmet Uçum, President Erdoğan's chief advisor, made comments regarding the expulsion of 5 lieutenants from the Turkish Armed Forces. In his message titled "The National Army is Our Pride," Uçum defended the expulsion decision, stating, "The issue is not about saying we are soldiers of Mustafa Kemal, but rather the indiscipline stemming from persistent disobedience to orders."
After the graduation ceremony of the Army Academy of the National Defense University on August 30, 2024, the lieutenants who drew their swords and recited the officer's oath while chanting the slogan "We are the soldiers of Mustafa Kemal" were expelled from the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) under the pretext of indiscipline. The Ministry of National Defense (MSB) announced, "Five lieutenants were given separation penalties from the Turkish Armed Forces." Additionally, the MSB announced that three disciplinary superiors were also given separation penalties.
A comment on the expulsion decision regarding the lieutenants came from President Erdoğan's chief advisor, Mehmet Uçum. Uçum defended the expulsion decision, stating, "The issue is not at all about being Mustafa Kemal's soldier; it is entirely related to indiscipline and military discipline law. It is indiscipline arising from persistent disobedience to orders."
"THE ISSUE IS NOT SAYING WE ARE MUSTAFA KEMAL'S SOLDIERS…”
Uçum's article titled "Our National Army is our pride" states: "It is said that nearly four hundred newly graduated lieutenants said, 'We are Mustafa Kemal's soldiers.' Five of them and three disciplinary superiors related to indiscipline were given separation penalties (expulsion). While this is the reality, to say that the reason for separation is the slogan 'We are Mustafa Kemal's soldiers' is a deliberate distortion.
If the expression 'We are Mustafa Kemal's soldiers' were the reason for the separation penalty, there should have been an investigation opened for nearly four hundred newly graduated lieutenants, and all of them should have been expelled. Therefore, the issue is not saying we are Mustafa Kemal's soldiers, but indiscipline arising from persistent disobedience to orders. All members of the Turkish Armed Forces, especially the Commander-in-Chief President Erdoğan, are undoubtedly followers of our founding leader Atatürk. This issue cannot be opened to debate. Thus, the concrete issue is not at all about being Mustafa Kemal's soldier; it is entirely related to indiscipline and military discipline law.
"THE ISSUE IS TO PROTECT THE NATIONAL ARMY WITHOUT COMPROMISE"
Discipline is the foundation of the entire system in the Turkish Armed Forces. If the Ministry of National Defense and the TSK cannot apply military discipline law without compromise, they will fall into a significant weakness. The most severe damage that can be inflicted on the National Army is to infect it with the virus of indiscipline. Allowing this and turning a blind eye to indiscipline opens the door to betrayal. In the concrete situation, a general tendency has emerged that the action is contrary to military discipline law. There is an action contrary to military discipline, but to say that no sanctions should be applied would be complete negligence. Moreover, looking at the issue as 'youth mistakes should be tolerated' is entirely wrong. The issue is the National Army. The issue is to protect the National Army without compromise.
Then, the only issue that can be debated is whether the sanction applied for this faulty action is proportional. It is a legal claim to say that a sanction should be applied, but the applied sanction is severe. In this case, the owners of this claim must legally prove it. Of course, there can be legal discussions based on the reasoned decision. At least, discussions can be held within the framework of military discipline law, meaning on the correct ground, and this has legal significance. As long as it remains within the limits of law, this discussion is considered reasonable.
In the administrative judiciary review, the issue is again addressed with all its legal aspects. When the legal processes are completed, final decisions emerge that everyone must accept. However, after that stage, the situation of those who have been penalized due to their faulty actions becomes clear. They will also chart a course for themselves. In this context, those who oppose the decision with complete prejudice and their own agendas are not concerned with the concrete law, nor with the real situation of those who have been penalized; there are even approaches that exploit them.
"OUR NATIONAL ARMY MUST BE PROTECTED WITH DILIGENCE"
Interestingly, some circles that object to the decision give the impression that they legally accept the decision, albeit implicitly. Perhaps for this reason, they avoid discussing the essence of the issue and make false statements about the rationale of the decision. Therefore, the real concern of many circles, individuals, or opponents who oppose the decision is not the discussion of military discipline and law. Their only concern is to exploit this incident for their narrow political interests. When it comes to Atatürk and the National Army, the burden of this exploitation is very heavy.
To make the National Army, which has been cleansed of the FETÖ gang and local and foreign coup nests, a subject of any exploitation is a complete negligence. Additionally, some politicians, political analysts, commentators, and certain media figures are inclined to discuss this expulsion process through large issues that appeal to them, such as its future impact, the relationship between the national army and the nation, and the relationship between the army and politics. Those who attempt this make a serious mistake, and even if their intentions are not so, they fall into a provocative situation.
The National Army is the military guarantee of Turkey's independence, national power, and anti-imperialist struggle. The National Army is one of the fundamental assurances of Turkey's future. Turkey's National Army is the hope of global imperialism against the struggles of the oppressed in Central Afro-Eurasia and the world. The essence of the matter is that our pride, the National Army, must be protected with diligence."