Position: The coup was justified
This position addresses the topic 2006 Thailand coup d'état.
For this position
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"The coups are justified because each elected government proves corrupt and incompetent. "
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Against this position
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"Americans can only deplore the sharp turn from democracy in Thailand that this week's military coup represents."
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"Each country's politics are specific. But one guideline should surely be clear: removing the army from its role as the arbiter of politics and transforming it into a normal civic institution that serves rather than runs the state is a crucial principle for any new or old democracy. What happened in Thailand this week was therefore a step backwards."
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"Any government appointed by the Thai military should be shunned and U.S.-Thai relations frozen until a free and fair election is held."
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"Despite Mr. Thaksin's faults, real and perceived, there can be no rationalization of a military overthrow of a democratically elected civilian government, and the generals responsible for the coup deserve an even sharper rebuke than the ones they have received from the United States and the rest of the international community."
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"[It would be a mistake] to regard the Thai military takeover as a welcome end to the country's political paralysis and polarisation. There is no such thing as a good coup."
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"The immensely wealthy businessman turned political populist had become dangerously cocky. That, however, could be said of many democratically elected politicians, and the way to remove them is through the ballot box, not by royally sanctioned military fiat."
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"To many people, the military coup against Thaksin might have been a necessary evil. But make no mistake, the seizure of power - albeit one that was achieved without the loss of lives - is nonetheless a form of political violence that is incompatible with the democratic aspirations of the Thai people."
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"Call it a "reluctant coup" or a "yellow ribbon revolt", Tuesday's assumption of power by military leaders was still a prohibitively high price for the country to pay to remove an entrenched political tyrant."
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"But removing him from office is a decision that belongs to Thailand’s voters, not an ambitious army general."
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"Mr Thaksin’s handling of both has been lamentable. But that does not justify an illegal attempt to force him from power. The army must return to barracks immediately."
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Mixed on this position
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"The Council is asking for understanding. It urges media prudence while pleading that media restrictions are needed to avoid confusion and conflicts. But the Council, too, must demonstrate its sincerity, reasonableness and responsibility to the media and to the Thai public."
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"No democrat can support a military coup but Thai coups are the gentlest in the world, and this one may conceivably provide a path to something better."
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