# Halit Edip Başer

Halit Edip Başer (1942 – 11 March 2021) was a retired Turkish general who served as the 38th commander of the Second Army from 2000 until his retirement in 2002. He previously commanded the Allied Land Forces South-Eastern Europe in 1998 and was the head of the Intelligence Department at the Allied Forces Southern Europe, Naples, Italy.

## Early life and education

Başer was born in 1942 in Nizip, Gaziantep. He earned a doctorate in the history of the Turkish Armed Forces. However, the specific institution from which he obtained his doctorate is not widely documented.

## Career

Başer began his military career by graduating at the Turkish Military Academy in 1961 and the Infantry School in 1963. After graduating, he pursued studies at the Staff College, Camberley and the United States Army War College in Carlisle. He spent the early years of his service as a platoon and company commander in different units of the Turkish Land Forces until 1970. After graduating from the Army War College in 1972, Başer worked at the NATO headquarters in Brussels as a Current Operations Plan officer, then served as the chief of the Strategy Branch in the General Staff's Strategy Plan Department. His responsibilities grew to include the role of general secretary of the Turkish Land Forces, and later, he became the commander of the Presidential Guard Regiment.
In 1986, Başer was promoted to the rank of brigadier general, taking on responsibilities as the head of the Intelligence Department and commander the 14th Mechanized Infantry Brigade under Allied Forces Southern Europe, Naples. After promoting to the rank of major general in 1990, he oversaw strategic planning and operations at the General Staff. During this period, he commanded the Military Academy and served as military advisor to the Prime Minister.
In 1994, Başer became lieutenant general and took command of the 3rd Corps. Four years later, in 1998, he became a general and assumed the role of commander of Allied Land Forces South-Eastern Europe and deputy chief of the General Staff. As a general, he commanded the Second Army before retiring from active duty on 30 August 2002.

## Career as diplomate

The Coordination Group for Countering the PKK, established on 28 August 2006, was formed to address security concerns related to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). However, the initiative encountered challenges and ultimately collapsed. Retired General Başer, serving as Turkey's envoy as a counter-terrorism coordinator, was dismissed from his role on 21 May 2007 after publicly criticizing the United States for its approach to the issue. During his tenure from September 2006 to January 2007, he remained engaged in national security matters. He contributed to addressing the security challenges. His American counterpart, Joseph Ralston, also vacated the position nearly five months later. Başer later accused the U.S. of failing to fulfill its responsibilities to Turkey.

## Views

Başer expressed skepticism toward U.S. policies, particularly regarding their stance on PKK activities in northern Iraq. In his book Flying Without Wings, he shared accounts of presenting evidence, including video recordings, to American officials that allegedly showed PKK operations in the region. He remained opposed to engaging with Kurdish leader Massoud Barzani, arguing that such discussions would be unproductive.
In his later years, Başer discussed geopolitical developments potentially leading to the establishment of a Greater Kurdistan, suggesting its implications for Turkey's territorial integrity and regional stability.

## Later work

Following his retirement in 2002, Başer shifted his focus to academia and became the founding director of the Atatürk Institute (Atatürk Principles and History of Turkish Revolution Institute) at Yeditepe University. He served at the institute until August 2014, contributing to the study and modern history of Turkey. He also contributed to strategic research and policy development as the chairperson of the board of directors at the Center for Eurasian Strategic Studies (ASAM).

## Personal life

Başer was married to Hülya Başer with two children. He died on 11 March 2021 in Istanbul at the hospital where he had been receiving treatment.