Chief of Staff of the Greek Army Resigns!

[Ephilant]

Well then, more fun and games in the mad house called Greece.
Early this morning, Chief of Staff Cosntantinos Ziazias dropped a nuclear bomb in Samaras's lap by handing in his resignation. Although no official reason has been given, it is widely known that there was a very public disagreement between the Chief of staff and the Deputy Minister of Defence Panagiotis Karabelas.
According to now Ex-Chief of Staff Ziazias he resigned because of political interference with military matters. (Would he have resigned if the interference was the other way around?).

this goes back to the days that Papandreou proposed the Referendum on the EU, opposed by Merkel, Schauble & Co. According to "unnamed sources" the then minister for Defence Panos Beglitis was ordered by Papandreou to bring him "the heads of the 18 most senior people in the military". 5 Days before the Papademos puppet government was installed by the EU, Papandreou got his wish, and a very pro-PASOK military top was installed.

“Constantinos Ziazias was a product of Belgitis’ political coup. Ziazias is considered as especially close to the old PASOK of George Papandreou even though he is a good army offcier.
Papandreou ordered Beglitis to take the heads of 18 high-ranking officers so that he could claim in Cannes that he wanted a referendum in order to avoid a coup by the Greek armed Forces.”

(Defence Net, the military web site)
Ziazias now claims that he was summoned to the Department of Defence at 2.00 am, to receive a list of promotions and retirements in the army decided upon by the Minister. There are claims that some of those promotions involve people shafted by Papandreou, meaning pro ND military.

According to Zougla, more resignations are expected. The worrying part of the news however is that it is reported that after handing in his resignation, ZiaZias gathered a lot of senior officers together and had a lenghty "conversation" with them.

Ziazias has already been replaced by Constantinos Gkinis

[jmcc]

A coup ready to happen?

Regards...jmcc

[Ephilant]

A coup ready to happen?

Regards...jmcc

It has crossed mine, and many other minds. The reality here is that a cull took place in the army top, taking out the PASOK element of the army elite, and replacing it with ND elite. Armies don't mind interfering in civilian affairs when it suits them, but do not take to kindly to civilians interfering in army affairs.
I'm wondering how God Venizelos is going to react to this. He will no doubt see this as a sneaky move by Samaras to erode the PASOK power base even further, and given his dreams of singly party PASOK power with himself in charge, I don't think this will go down very well.
The other factor that cannot be discarded is the happenings across the pond, where things are not going to USA plan (Syria, Tunesia, Egypt, Iran, etc.) And I have a very uneasy feeling that the very recent visit by Uncle Bill may have something to do with this. I'm sure it had nothing to do with helping "the people of Greece", that's not Auntie Hilary's line of thinking at all, and as she is the one who must be obeyed...
The new army top would be much more inclined to look favourable upon Uncle Sam giving some of his best and brightest another practical lesson in Geography. And that might just put a halt to the Cyprus gallop in the direction of Uncle Vladimir's stables?

[fluffybiscuits]

Well then, more fun and games in the mad house called Greece.
Early this morning, Chief of Staff Cosntantinos Ziazias dropped a nuclear bomb in Samaras's lap by handing in his resignation. Although no official reason has been given, it is widely known that there was a very public disagreement between the Chief of staff and the Deputy Minister of Defence Panagiotis Karabelas.
According to now Ex-Chief of Staff Ziazias he resigned because of political interference with military matters. (Would he have resigned if the interference was the other way around?).

this goes back to the days that Papandreou proposed the Referendum on the EU, opposed by Merkel, Schauble & Co. According to "unnamed sources" the then minister for Defence Panos Beglitis was ordered by Papandreou to bring him "the heads of the 18 most senior people in the military". 5 Days before the Papademos puppet government was installed by the EU, Papandreou got his wish, and a very pro-PASOK military top was installed.
(Defence Net, the military web site)
Ziazias now claims that he was summoned to the Department of Defence at 2.00 am, to receive a list of promotions and retirements in the army decided upon by the Minister. There are claims that some of those promotions involve people shafted by Papandreou, meaning pro ND military.

According to Zougla, more resignations are expected. The worrying part of the news however is that it is reported that after handing in his resignation, ZiaZias gathered a lot of senior officers together and had a lenghty "conversation" with them.

Ziazias has already been replaced by Constantinos Gkinis

Perhaps this is the beginning of the end for the current government as we seem to know it . The one thing I would be fearful of is that this could spell as jmcc said above, a coup in Greece which could disrupt the flow of things and make the situation worse. While we all want revolution and change for the better would such a move improve the situation?

[Ephilant]

While we all want revolution and change for the better would such a move improve the situation?

No, it would just make moving targets more realistic.
There is a very tangeable hostility developing towards Greece in certain quarters in the EU, because we won't play ball with those who think they matter. And there of course the international implications which would be well served by a little military interlude. Somehow I don't think our "friends" in Brussels and Berlin would be too adverse to seeing the army take an active role in "sorting" this for them. After all, the real paymasters (International conglomerates with "interests") have something to gain there as well. And, it might just show the Spanish and the Italians who exactly they are messing with and make them think twice?

[fluffybiscuits]

No, it would just make moving targets more realistic.
There is a very tangeable hostility developing towards Greece in certain quarters in the EU, because we won't play ball with those who think they matter. And there of course the international implications which would be well served by a little military interlude. Somehow I don't think our "friends" in Brussels and Berlin would be too adverse to seeing the army take an active role in "sorting" this for them. After all, the real paymasters (International conglomerates with "interests") have something to gain there as well. And, it might just show the Spanish and the Italians who exactly they are messing with and make them think twice?

If Greece can take the lead this might mean that they can influence the apathetic people of the respective countries .

[C. Flower]

It has crossed mine, and many other minds. The reality here is that a cull took place in the army top, taking out the PASOK element of the army elite, and replacing it with ND elite. Armies don't mind interfering in civilian affairs when it suits them, but do not take to kindly to civilians interfering in army affairs.
I'm wondering how God Venizelos is going to react to this. He will no doubt see this as a sneaky move by Samaras to erode the PASOK power base even further, and given his dreams of singly party PASOK power with himself in charge, I don't think this will go down very well.
The other factor that cannot be discarded is the happenings across the pond, where things are not going to USA plan (Syria, Tunesia, Egypt, Iran, etc.) And I have a very uneasy feeling that the very recent visit by Uncle Bill may have something to do with this. I'm sure it had nothing to do with helping "the people of Greece", that's not Auntie Hilary's line of thinking at all, and as she is the one who must be obeyed...
The new army top would be much more inclined to look favourable upon Uncle Sam giving some of his best and brightest another practical lesson in Geography. And that might just put a halt to the Cyprus gallop in the direction of Uncle Vladimir's stables?

Yes.

[bernadette]

Interesting times. It might be time for change or a return to its old ways for Greece. I don't think the EU will mind so long as whoever is in power does as they are told. And that's the question. If there were a military coup would the military then tell the EU to go away.

[Ephilant]

Interesting times. It might be time for change or a return to its old ways for Greece. I don't think the EU will mind so long as whoever is in power does as they are told. And that's the question. If there were a military coup would the military then tell the EU to go away.

Of course not, they will get lots of brand new toys to play with for being good boys...
And there are worrying developments already.
Syriza today accused the government of bringing back people who were instrumental in helping the Junta maintain it's grip on the country for as long as they did. They exposed Athanasios Andreoulakos, newly appointed Secretary General of the Citizens’ Protection Ministry (who oversee the police, amongst others) of having served on military tribunals during those days and being responsible for the imprisonment of at least 6 resistance activists.
the silence coming from the government end of things is deafening.
If this is indeed true, then I think we might just see yet another appointment that will not happen. It would be an insult beyond comprehension to the Greek people.
It is obvious that Samaras has once again not done his home work...

[Count Bobulescu]

Completely off-topic, apologies, but wanted to make sure Ephilant saw this, and am having trouble with the PM utility.

The Greek Yogurt Wars.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/201...cc=bh-20120725

[Ephilant]

Completely off-topic, apologies, but wanted to make sure Ephilant saw this, and am having trouble with the PM utility.

The Greek Yogurt Wars.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/201...cc=bh-20120725

Thanks Count, dangerous topic though, a Turk chemically altering our yoghurt
He wants to be aware of the fact that yoghurt has other uses apart from eating it... but I don't think we'll go to war over this one, not yet. As long as they keep their hands of our Tsikouda!
It does remind me of a friend of one of my daughters years ago, graduated as food scientist and got a job with one of the big Irish creameries. Her brief? To make cheese "with a taste identical to the taste of traditional cheese", but using all their chemicals instead.
I couldn't help but wonder why they just didn't make "the real thing", given the milk lakes etc. they were sitting on. It was the same time that a farmer in Kerry somewhere started spraying his land with milk because he couldn't get a decent price for his product...

Back to the real war-mongers. It is now rumoured that Ziazias's job has been eyed up for a while by "unknown individuals"