Greece (catch all)

[AdamG]

As Greek politics grew ever more chaotic strong political protests erupted as the government moved to replace military chiefs with officers seen as more supportive of George Papandreou, the prime minister.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/f...on-outcry.html

[AdamG]

(Reuters) - Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou defied demands on Thursday that he resign over his decision to hold a referendum on the nation's euro zone bailout deal, calling instead for his party to unite for a confidence vote in the government.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/...2F+Top+News%29

(Reuters) - The Greek government's sacking of its military brass at the height of the debt crisis may signal that the cabinet sees its own days as numbered, but the outside world need not worry about the army installing a junta as it did four decades ago.

Greeks have largely shrugged off suggestions that appeared in foreign media that the firing on Tuesday of top generals might have been aimed at thwarting a coup. The military is nowhere near the formidable political force that seized power in 1967 and held it for seven years.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/...7A17BZ20111102

[jcustis]

Not much good can come of this. I thought the European countries were beyond this sort of nonsense.

[davidbfpo]

Jon,

The WW2 motto 'Keep Calm and Carry On' appears to fit the situation in Greece, as regards this story and this sentence from the original story posted helps and with my emphasis:

the sudden, sweeping changes, which were scheduled to be considered on November 7 as part of a regular annual review of military leadership retirements and promotions. Usually the annual changes do not affect the entire leadership.

There are different ways of interpreting these moves, notably that Greece is in a bad predicament and if emergency civilian rule is required a new set of fresh, younger military leaders could be a wise move.

Looking back at recent history, when Greece had military rulers so did for far longer Portugal and Spain. Europe I hope has moved a long way from that.

From my limited viewing of events in Greece the violence is very limited, with the focal point being the national parliament and this week I've seen footage of the Greek PM arriving at the parliament in an unescorted car (unlike David Cameron in the UK, even when driving the half mile or less to parliament).

[jcustis]

I suppose I should clarify that I see the sweeping replacement of all the heads of the service branches as an unwise move. Admittedly, I am neither Greek nor in Greece at the moment.

I'm mostly stumped that a sitting government would even have "some of their own" to be able to install when they are on the cusp of leaving. Then again, I've never even paid attention enough to American politics in terms of heads of service branches and the JCS, and their tours of duty, to ascertain if they are shifted around in a cycle similar to what is going on in Greece.

Still seems odd to change military leadership like that. Doing it during trying times like this seems bizarre.

[davidbfpo]

Greece has a long history of what many regard as extremist political activity and in recent years a new political party, New Dawn, has emerged on the right, gaining electoral support - with MPs elected - and street-level activity.

Now it appears under judicial direction New Dawn is being investigated and maybe banned:http://www.theguardian.com/world/201...eece-neo-nazis

Last week one Golden Dawn MP resigned, citing ignorance of the party's activities. Another was expelled after indicating that he, too, was about to leave.....The loss of its deputies reduces to 16 the number of seats the neo-Nazis control in the 300-member house – although nine MPs already face charges and six have been jailed pending trial. In February (the judicial figures) Klapa and Dimitropoulou proposed that politicians lift the immunity of another nine MPs who have so far escaped prosecution. A parliamentary vote is expected in the coming weeks.

[davidbfpo]

An article in The Guardian, the author is unknown to me and her mini bio says:

She was previously executive editor and managing editor of Le Monde.

This article could sit in the more active thread on Russian flirting if not subversive activities with the extreme right and nationalists in democratic Europe. See Posts 64 onwards:http://council.smallwarsjournal.com/...t=20681&page=4

Since it is about Greece it is here:http://www.theguardian.com/commentis...-useful-idiot?