Turkey's pro-government media can turn from friend to foe

Interior Minister Efkan Ala, while chatting with journalists the other day, made an interesting comment about media groups affiliated with the Fethullah Gülen movement: ?Until these incidents took place, these media outlets had not even once criticized the government. After these incidents, they started. Is this the media? I am asking: Didn?t the government make any mistakes from 2002 to 2013? People who during those years did not write ?you have made a mistake? even once, afterward started to write negatively constantly. Why? It?s obvious: They weren?t acting as the media then, and they?re not acting as the media now.?

Efkan Ala is absolutely right.

When they were partners, the Gülen media praised the government. When the partnership died, they started criticizing ruthlessly.

When ruthless criticism is based on correct news, then there is no problem. But now it is coming after manipulated, fabricated stories.

The pro-government media should itself draw a lesson from this.

A dose of assertiveness

Following main opposition Republican People?s Party (CHP) leader Kemal K?l?çdaro?lu?s criticism of the new ?security bill,? Prime Minister Ahmet Davuto?lu said this criticism was simply meant to ?pay the CHP?s debts to the parallel structure.?

According to Davuto?lu, K?l?çdaro?lu?s leadership of the CHP only became possible thanks to the ?cassette conspiracy? that the Gülen community prepared for former CHP head Deniz Baykal. Now, he is doing everything the community wants, provoking the people.

Yes, if it were not for the cassette conspiracy, K?l?çdaro?lu would not be leading the CHP. Baykal would never have given up his seat to K?l?çdaro?lu.

But we do have a problem with the prime...