Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is a typical 21st-century politician — acutely attuned to the desires of the masses, but acting solely in the interest of preserving his own power. He is not a dreamer, as some try to portray him. He is a pragmatist, a cynic, and a trader of political positions. Erdoğan knows perfectly well that the “Great Turkey” project, tales of Turan, Islamic unity, and other ideological narratives are nothing more than smokescreens. These are stories he sells to his not-so-happy electorate, people who need something — a fantasy, an enemy, or an illusion of victory.
Beyond this imperial rhetoric lies plain calculation. Erdoğan’s Turkey constantly walks a tightrope — and he’s a virtuoso at it. He maneuvers between East and West, between NATO and Russia, supporting Hamas one moment and Kyiv the next, sometimes even posing as a mediator between warring sides. Not because Turkey is a great power, but because Erdoğan desperately tries to insert himself into every conflict, every gap — just to avoid being forgotten.
But it’s time to call things by their name: without NATO, Turkey is nothing. No military might, no economic backbone, no technological sovereignty. All attempts to play the geopolitical heavyweight are a farce. Not a single major player in the world sees Erdoğan as an equal. They speak to him out of politeness or necessity. They smile — but do not trust him. They tolerate him — but do not respect him. They work with him — but only as long as it’s convenient.
Yes, Turkey is a regional power — but it is in no position to dictate terms to the world. Even in the Islamic world, its authority is questionable. The Saudis, Iranians, and Egyptians have no desire to see Ankara as the center of the Muslim ummah. Because everyone understands: behind Erdoğan’s grand rhetoric lies simple political bargaining. He may support a terrorist — if it boosts him at home. He may hug a dictator — if there’s a lucrative deal on the table. He may betray an ally — if it guarantees political gain.
Erdoğan is not the leader of a “New Turkey.” He is the administrator of a system built on fear, propaganda, and cheap nationalism. No one believes him — but they fear him. He is not respected — but must be reckoned with. For now.
He lives in the reality of the modern world, fully aware of its rules — yet he stubbornly sells a fantasy to his people. But this fantasy is coming to an end. And what remains afterward is the harsh truth: a weak economy, international isolation, and a weary society that will eventually tire of paying the price for one man’s ambition.
And then Erdoğan will be left alone — without NATO, without allies, and without his fairy tale. Only with an empty throne and a legacy in which he will not be remembered as a sultan, but merely… a magician whose tricks no longer work.
By Mikhail Shvernik for M.News World