I am left with a gut feeling that "a large part of iceberg is not seen below the waterline".
Consider strange things like:
a) List of thousands involved in the coup appeared over night, and most of them were immediately arrested.
b) Pres. Erdogan "narrow escaped" (some 20-30 min) an attack on him while he and his family were on a resort.
c) Erdogan's plane was allowed to fly safely though was allegedly escorted by fighter jets sent by rebel commanders.
d) Head of general staff was taken but then surprisingly easily released (why do so if he might be a trump card in their hands?)
e) Behaviour of puschists was strange in many aspects, e.g. they did not attempt to take or destroy the residences of president and prime minister (as they used to do during the previous coups) , and bombed the parliament instead (though nobody of c.a. 100 members staying these was hurt). Also the putschists did not block key airports (though allegedly AF were the "bad guys"), main roads and communication centres across the country.
f) The putschists had no speaker, even more, the coup had "no faces". AF commander who was named later as a key person... who knows what he was "offered"while staying in the hands of "butchers".
I am far from thinking it was a 100% show orchestrated by the current establishment, but the participation of the latter is quite likely. E.g., why not assume that the plotters and their plans were well-known and that somebody in their leadership (in reality loyal to the regime) told them "hey, guys, it's the right moment, let's start". Some of them started (maybe not all), but the other side was waiting for that, and now has free hands in doing whatever they like, especially as "people in the street" support them.
P.S. IMHO, "Russian issue" had the least priority in all that. Erdogan and Putin resumed talking before the coup was attempted. Just, "BTW No. 1000, why not to arrest those two pilots as well".
Last edited by A_Van; 20th Jul 2016 at 06:47.