Some opinion writers have surmised a possibility that Recep Erdogan created the coup in Turkey as a method to smoke out his opposition and exert even more dictatorial power.  Having watched the events closely (5 years) which lead up to the coup attempt, we disagree.
All indications are the coup was genuine, albeit a long-shot, driven by the younger military leadership who remained guardians of the state after two years of Erdogan purging the top level generals.
erdogan ompa loompa
Ideologically, Recep Erdogan has been working earnestly over the past 5+ years to extend his power and control.  Erdogan has grandiose plans of rebuilding a modern Ottoman Empire with himself as the figurehead in control.
The fortuitous crisis in Syria evolved into a tool for Erdogan to expand his constituency, and the influx of 3 million non-secular conservative Muslims as refugees into Turkey was part of that dynamic.
Erdogan’s ideological outlook can be captured when you look at the 2015 decision to give safe refuge to five Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood leaders who were living in exile in Qatar and evicted after the Gulf States pressured Qatar to stop supporting extremist terrorists.  Erdogan promised the Muslim Brotherhood safe harbor in Turkey and he gave it to them.

Having removed the top Turkish Generals from power (2013->2015), Erdogan was moving toward increased control over all aspects of Turkish life.  The secular nature of the social fabric was antithetical to Erdogans’  goals.
In short, Erdogan wants to lead a more authentic, more conservative, Islamic Muslim society.  All of his efforts in the past 5 years have highlighted this intention.

Erdogan's recently completed $400 million white marble palace residence
Erdogan’s recently completed $700 million white marble palace residence

The backstop against Turkey falling prey to radical Islam was the Turkish military who are charged with protecting a secular constitution.
Erdogan’s efforts were in opposition to the mandate of the military, hence Erdogan previously removed the old-school Generals.
The younger, pro-Western, voices that remained in the military knew they were quickly losing the ability to protect the secular constitution; simply, the additional Syrian influx created a dynamic where they foresaw their protective ability as being overwhelmed.  Any further delays in taking action were only going to weaken their ability. They needed to act.
Evidence of this “younger coup” is found within the military elements that actually took part.  Turkish Air Force pilots and Turkish Naval officers generally younger than their counterparts within the Army.
Unfortunately, the Erdogan coalition, bolstered by the more radical Islam elements who emigrated over the past several years, proved too strong.  Turkey is unfortunately too Muslim to protect itself from the logical conclusion of the Erdogan approach.
As for the leaders and participants of the coup, Erdogan will kill them all:
https://twitter.com/Breaking911/status/754354352228274177
Political democracy and the political doctrines of authentic Islam are antithetical to each other.  Minority protections cannot, and do not, exist within non-secular Muslim nations.  It takes very specific leadership skill to walk the tightrope (see Jordan and Egypt).
Obama Erdogan - TurkeyPresident Obama has always supported the increasingly Islamist goals of Recep Erdogan.  Since Obama took office in January of 2009 he has retained a very strong and close bond with Erdogan.  In essence they are fellow travelers sharing the same view of Islam and the counter points of contention with modern Western values.   They are ideological brothers from other mothers.
Obama’s world view spawned from positive family teaching of authoritarian regimes with pro-socialist/communist outlooks.  Erdogan’s world view from similar familial authoritarian perspectives within authentic Islam.
Their partnership is more than just friendly, but even Obama gets nervous because he knows too well how far Erdogan is willing to go:


Now the coup has failed, Erdogan will use the opportunity to advance his cause.  Erdogan will move significantly to gain the dictatorial power he has always desired.   Unfortunately, the EU will suffer the consequences.
Financially, and influentially, Turkey wants to join the EU; and now with Britain exiting there is a large financial void that Germany cannot fill alone.  This opens the economic door for Turkey/Erdogan’s influence.
Erdogan has been a three-year migration gatekeeper; and with his dictatorial capability wide open, we can expect him to use immigration blackmail to get the EU to bargaining table.  The precedent for this can be found in the 2005-2010 Libyan influence carried by Moammar Gaddaffi.  History will show that Great Britain got out of the EU just in the nick of time.
Modern Middle East 1

Things are happening exactly as it was predicted five years ago.

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