For Türkiye and Erdoğan...

2026-03-05 - 19:32

America and Israel, not content with bombing Iran, have activated a plan to directly "decapitate" the regime by targeting the country's religious leader and senior commanders. Next will come moves to "force" the people into "change." According to experts, the US is expected to continue its strikes, hitting strategic targets in Iran. This means a "policy of intimidation" has been put into effect. Again, experts are speaking with bated breath when interpreting this new form of warfare. We have seen with every new Western attack and invasion that since the atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, there has been no such rule as the "laws of war." Imperialists, with technology on their side, don't start wars on the frontlines. The first strike is against the "leader." After October 7th, Israel eliminated Hezbollah and Iranian leaders as if they knew exactly where to find them. Hamas Political Bureau Chief Ismail Haniyeh, who was in Tehran, was also martyred in a similar assassination. Two months ago, America did worse than killing Venezuelan President Maduro by kidnapping him from his home and treating him as a prisoner. THE ELIMINATION OF LEADERS AND THE COLLAPSE OF STATES Because when leaders are eliminated, the decision-making mechanism of states is also collapsed. Consequently, a dissolution begins in the society that is expected to resist. Ultimately, simultaneous with external intervention, a "process of internal disintegration" is triggered. If we recall... The invasion of Iraq and the process of Saddam Hussein's overthrow progressed like this. First, the image of a "dictator" was legitimized in international public opinion, led by CNN and BBC, then the military landing came. What was the result? Saddam was executed live on television one Eid al-Adha morning (2006). The state collapsed, sectarian fault lines were activated, and the country was effectively divided into three. Iraq, despite 20 years having passed, still hasn't recovered. A similar course was followed in the operation against Muammar Gaddafi in Libya. Triggered by the Arab Spring, the country's leader was lynched and killed by rebels in 2011. Libya was left in absolute chaos. Not only could a strong state structure not be built, but Türkiye's efforts to stabilize things were also sabotaged. For years, Libya has struggled to exist as a country open to intervention by warring militias and external actors. In Syria, a different method was tried. The revolution was prevented for years. Assad, who served interests, was protected and supported in Damascus for years. Meanwhile, the country was divided into ethnic fragments. A different structure was pursued in the north, a different equation in the east, a different calculation in the south. Until the revolution in December 2024, Syria lost its power as a state for years and became a burden on other countries. THE BALANCE-DISRUPTING ACTOR: TÜRKİYE What is the common point of these examples? The "very top" of states was targeted, and societal will was weakened. The recent attacks on Iran are not independent of this context. Targeting senior military commanders and religious leadership carries an element of psychological warfare alongside the physical war. However, it is understood that the target is not only Iran. It is obvious that America and Israel are aiming for regime change. A potential new regime in Iran would mean Israel "pressing against our borders." Analyses have begun to emerge in US and Israeli-based think tanks and media, pointing to Türkiye. The steps Türkiye has taken, especially in the last fifteen years, its effort to reduce foreign dependency in the defense industry, taking initiative in Syria and Libya, its support for Azerbaijan during the Karabakh process, its determination in the Eastern Mediterranean, and its clear stance on the Palestine issue, disturb not only our enemies but also those we consider "friends." In those analyses, our country is referred to not just as a regional actor but as a "balance-disrupting actor" for them. We cannot ignore the systematic statements from circles that seem marginal but have a strong sphere of influence, saying, "After Iran, the next should be Türkiye." These threatening discourses may be circulating on social media for now, but as we have seen in the very recent past, we know that interventions are first discussed as ideas. FORTIFYING THE DOMESTIC FRONT AGAINST THE PROMISED LAND There is also the "Promised Land" debate, brought back to the agenda by the US Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, just before the Iran attacks. Let us now accept that this reference is the most fundamental motivation of the Zionists. Because borders in our geography are being designed based on Israel's psychopathic belief system. In this equation, according to theorists who feed Zionism, Türkiye is seen as the "toughest obstacle to overcome." What is written, drawn, and said is not "crazy talk." It is obvious that our country is the next target. There are those who say, "America won't attack Türkiye." Can such a "guarantee" be spoken of during the Trump era? Question mark. What about after? A strong state is built by a strong army, a strong economy, and "strong leadership." But there is a power above all these: that is "the will of the people." What happened on the night of July 15th showed us this: The state's reflex was completed when the nation took to the streets. What defeated the coup plotters was the "presence of Erdoğan," whom they tried to assassinate, and the people, emboldened by him, going to the squares. The retaking of the Atatürk Airport they had seized by citizens was a turning point, for example. "GREAT TÜRKİYE RALLIES" Today, we need to display a similar and much clearer determination. We must fortify the domestic front with composure. Tightening the ranks means not letting "traitors" in between. We must put forth a broad declaration of civil will against all kinds of threats to Türkiye's sovereignty, its state, and its elected leader. As a people, we must take "roll call" and rally around the powerful leadership of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. At this point, I see the idea of "Great Türkiye Rallies" as a strategic move. These rallies should not be a party organization, and they should never carry the atmosphere of an election campaign. Massive gatherings should be organized where every segment can participate, political differences are set aside, and a common national stance is displayed. These rallies should convey the following messages to the outside world: -Türkiye cannot be dissolved from within! -Its leader cannot be weakened by being targeted from outside! -The people cannot be intimidated by psychological warfare methods, including social media! These rallies also provide moral superiority. The people demonstrate their awareness. What is being staged in Iran provides an opportunity for social observation. Societal unity and cohesion around the leader have strategic importance equal to military capacity. We have seen with astonishment how a segment of society adopts a separatist attitude when leadership is targeted. HOW READY WILL WE BE THAT DAY? Türkiye, as a society, has lessons to draw from this process. We have understood that defense systems alone are not enough to remain strong in this region. We must ask ourselves these questions: -Is the target really only Iran? -While our geography is being redesigned once again, will we merely be spectators? -Or will we put forth a declaration of will now, against the possibility of Türkiye being a target? -How ready will we be that day?