Bahçeli: Reopening military hospitals is vital

Devlet Bahçeli, leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), made significant statements during his party's group meeting at the Turkish Grand National Assembly. He harshly criticized Israel's attacks in Gaza and Beirut, stating that despite ceasefire talks, attacks continue. Bahçeli accused the Netanyahu government of resisting peace and described Israel as an 'imperialist colonial mechanism that feeds on the blood of the oppressed.' He also claimed that the Zionist genocide network twists agreements to serve its own malicious interests.

Bahçeli also addressed the Russia-Ukraine war in the Black Sea region, noting that the conflict remains the biggest fracture line for regional stability. He pointed out that progress made through grain shipments, prisoner exchanges, and diplomatic contacts is often disrupted by political earthquakes. Bahçeli emphasized the need for Turkey to correctly read geopolitical risks and adopt a rational approach to protect national interests. He stated that the upcoming NATO Summit in Ankara will demonstrate Turkey's geopolitical importance, its deterrent military power, and its exemplary defense industry.

Emphasizing that NATO is not a document of allegiance for Turkey, Bahçeli said, 'Our horizon of national survival and future centered on Ankara is above all alliances that derive their source from outside.' He stressed that Turkey stands at the heart of all vital and critical topics before NATO, and that any equation excluding Turkey's military experience and defense industry capabilities is doomed to fail.

Bahçeli placed special emphasis on the reopening of military hospitals, noting that Turkey is the only NATO country without military hospitals. He described this as an 'unacceptable historical deficiency' and argued that military medicine is a distinct field requiring specialized knowledge of operational conditions, military discipline, and chain of command. He called for the revival of the GATA tradition, which represents military medicine dedicated to the Turkish soldier.

Finally, Bahçeli stated that strengthening war surgery is a matter of national survival. He argued that civilian health systems cannot fully meet the unique needs of the military, such as mine and blast injuries, burns, and severe trauma. He stressed the necessity of a military physician corps specialized in these areas, emphasizing that Turkish doctors who consider soldiers as their own brothers should serve alongside them in operations.