Turkey in a ring of fire

High inflation and the decline in the purchasing power of the Turkish Lira are common problems for all of us, especially those who live by their labor. We have to work to sustain our lives. We have families and people we are responsible for. Living conditions are particularly challenging in large cities. We share our country with approximately 10 million foreigners, though the exact number is unknown. Crowded cities, hours spent in traffic, noise. Unhealthy but expensive food. Unfortunately, everything that lowers a person's quality of life is present here in abundance.

As citizens of the Republic of Turkey, in addition to our individual struggles for life, we are forced to follow the foreign policy agenda closely, even if we do not want to. A civil war has been ongoing in our southern neighbor, Syria, since 2011. Everyone is in Syria. The US, Russia, Turkey, Iranian militias, the FSA, HTS, YPG... Everyone has different goals and alliances. Turkey has settled in regions across the border, starting with the Euphrates Shield Operation in 2016.

With the change of control in Aleppo last week, public attention turned to Syria. Every evening, thanks to various experts on television channels holding sticks of various sizes in front of maps, we have reached a point where we can draw the map of Syria blindfolded and show by heart which region is under whose sovereignty.

As of December 2024, the general outlook around our country is as follows:

- There are armed groups in Syria opposed to the Assad administration. Among these, the YPG is the one Turkey focuses on the most. It can be said that the YPG, which is said to have a force of approximately one hundred thousand people and has been equipped by the US with tens of thousands of truckloads of weapons and ammunition, is lying in wait to attack at an opportune time.

- A little further south is the Israel-Palestine-Lebanon conflict zone. The previous Minister of National Defense surely knows better than I do; he stated that Israel is a threat to our country. To explain the scale of the danger and draw attention to it, he mentioned that Denmark was occupied in 6 hours during World War II.

- To our north, the Russia-Ukraine war, or rather the war between Russia and NATO, has reached a stage where the use of nuclear weapons has begun to be discussed.

In short, we are a country with a fragile economy and a neighborhood that is literally a ring of fire.

Armed conflict, perhaps the possibility of war, is a current and imminent threat. So, what are we doing under these conditions?

We are doing the last thing that should be done. We are dealing with lieutenants in their early twenties to use as material in domestic politics. There are those who want them dismissed from the armed forces because they recited a text that every soldier and citizen would say with pride. However, we see in polls that the vast majority of citizens, regardless of political party affiliation, think that these young people should not be punished. It is clear that our people possess common sense, despite the politicians and their fanatical supporters. I am of the opinion that severely punishing our lieutenants is not only against the law but will also negatively affect the morale and motivation of the army.

Another issue I consider important is military hospitals and military courts. Both were closed after July 15, 2016. While I do not want to discuss the reasons for their closure, I believe they should be reopened immediately, starting with the hospitals.

The world's major armies have their own health systems and hospitals.

Military hospitals should be handled not only because they require medical expertise but also as a security matter. The article titled “Military hospitals and war surgery” written by Murat Yıldız is an article that touches on this issue and provides satisfying information. It would be useful to read it.

There is a need for courts composed of legal professionals that will conduct fast and fair trials, suitable for the conditions and nature of the military profession, which is based on discipline. To give an example from the world; military courts exist in the US legal system. Brief information about the system in English can be obtained from the link below.

States without a strong economy and a strong army do not last very long. With an empty treasury, let alone growing, it is difficult to live without losing territory. There is no point in dreaming of conquest on an empty stomach. We are in a crazy environment where many parties are waiting on edge to clash with each other. We need to take better care of our soldiers who will go to their deaths blindfolded when necessary. It is a condition for not becoming Iraq, Syria, or Libya.

https://www.marinedealnews.com/askeri-hastaneler-ve-harp-cerrahisi/

https://vwac.defense.gov/military.aspx#:~:text=A%20general%20court%2Dmartial%20is,the%20Manual%20for%20Courts%2DMartial.