BY İREM TUĞÇE ŞAHİN (LAW/II)
On October 30, İlker Başbuğ, 26th Chief of the General Staff of Turkey, came to Bilkent to give a lecture, hosted by the Siyaset Platformu Kulübü. In addition to a considerable number of students, Rector Abdullah Atalar and many members of the academic staff attended the lecture.
Gen. Başbuğ spoke about Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and the history of the Turkish Republic. He described the establishment of the early Republic, giving anecdotes about the military officers whose work paved the way for the success of the Independence War.
Another topic discussed in Gen. Başbuğ’s talk was power politics, with emphasis on the main components in today’s balance of power.
Following the conclusion of his remarks, he answered questions from students on subjects ranging from his career in the army, to the changes between the Ottoman Empire and the Republic. At the end of the event, Gen. Başbuğ expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to meet with the Bilkent community and accepted a plaque from the governing committee of the Siyaset Platform Kulübü. He then joined club members and faculty members for dinner at the Table d’hot Restaurant.