Turkey has a rich history and civilization, the forefather had wisely and carefully kept this country away from the apocalypse of extremism and radicalization, it is the only Islamic country exist in the world which works on the principle of freedom and liberty, it has a strong democratic institution like another free world, a surprise for the world. There are many scholars states that democracy is unfit for Islam, but the great nation proved it wrong and helped other Islamic nations to walk on the path of freedom proudly.
But in the last two decades, the things have been changed profoundly, Islamic nationalism is growing, democratic values have been undermined, and the risk of authoritarianism is looming in the air in the midst of freedom. Turkey is now in the hand of one leader, president Erdogan, he has been consolidated the power to dictate his ambition rather than the Turkish ambition. He seems to be influenced with Ottoman era, and wants the greater influence of Turkey across the Mediterranean, Middle East and Central Asia, he is putting great effort in military modernization, and Turkish navy is now supposed as the strongest in the Mediterranean.
Turkey vows to provide leadership to the Islamic world to gain the influence, it is vocal about the atrocity if being done on the Islam anywhere in the world by non-Islam, although as a nation of free world it should raise the concerns if atrocity is being done anywhere on humanity irrespective of religion, the leadership is selling it to gain sympathy in the home, in the process it is spreading Islamic nationalism in the nation.
Turkey is the second largest partner in NATO in terms of military manpower, it wants a greater role in the middle east on behalf of NATO, at the same time there are other nations which also claims hegemony in the region, Saudi Arabia and Iran, the two arch rival. Turkey has gone so crazy that it has been started betraying the partners, in the Syrian crisis, it has gone as far as it was on the direct confrontation course with the United States and its allies. Turkey is now cooperating with Russia and Iran, and creating problems for its own traditional allies, it thinks they could increase the sphere of influence with them, but there will be serious consequences.
Turkey wants influence but doesn't have the self-sustainable economy and not even sustained military, it imports more than 80 percent of the defense equipment from west, the United States had already shown their place at the end of 2018 when it sanctioned Turkey over bilateral crisis, the Turkish economy was in the mode of free fall. Turkish leadership's miscalculation will have adverse consequences for their people, the ambition of the leaders will take the country on the irreversible path of unrest and dysfunction.
Rather than trying for gaining influence, the leadership should work upon strengthening the economy and security of the people, should think of inclusive democracy and freedom.
