Turkey is Surprisingly Powerful. Here's Why
Simon Whistler · February 2, 2026 · 52 min video · Middle East
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From the transcript
From the start of the 20th century to the start of the 21st, the nation of
Turkey went from an
Empire to an afterthought. It was a brutally painful process, one that started
This transcript was generated automatically and may contain errors.
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About this briefing
From empire to rising power, Turkey rearms, balances East and West, and reshapes regional geopolitics. Explore its military modernization, drone dominance, and ambitions to become an autonomous Middle Eastern powerhouse. Megaprojects: https://www.youtube.com/@megaprojects9649 SideProjects: https://www.youtube.com/@Sideprojects Into The Shadows: https://www.youtube.com/@IntotheShadows Today I Found Out: https://www.youtube.com/@TodayIFoundOut Brain Blaze: https://www.youtube.com/@brainblaze6526 Casual Criminalist: https://www.youtube.com/@TheCasualCriminalist Decoding the Unknown: https://www.youtube.com/@decodingtheunknown2373 Places: https://www.youtube.com/@Places302 Celestium: https://www.youtube.com/@Celestium1234 PoliticalFronts: http://www.youtube.com/@homefronts 00:00 Introduction 01:28 A Regional Powerhouse 07:48 Military Might 16:07 In the Field 35:11 On the Diplomatic Stage 42:19 Among Friends and Enemies
Sources
- 01Globalfirepower Country Military Strength Detail
- 02Aei Is Turkeys Military The Worlds Latest Paper Tiger
- 03Atlanticcouncil Turkiye And The Russian Military Threat To Nato
- 04Lesclesdumoyenorient Turkiye The New Regional Power In Africa 3 3 A Military Presence That Is Now
- 05Ft 1de61da8 2481 4371 A0cd
- 06Aljazeera Heres A Look At Turkiyes Booming Defence Industry
- 07Atlanticcouncil Turkeys Global Military Footprint In 2022
- 08Nationalinterest Turkeys Dangerous Defense Pivot
- 09Reuters Factbox Turkeys Armed Forces IdUSTRE79I5G2
- 10Atlanticcouncil Turkeys Emerging And Disruptive Technologies Capacity And Nato Defense Policy Prospects And Limitations
- 11Csis Strategic Ambiguity Erdogans Turkey Multipolar World
- 12Hoover Turkiye And West Between Geopolitical Risks And Strategic Roots
- 13Brookings Turkey Managing An Unfriendly Ally
- 14Ecfr No Easy Choices How Europe Can Write A New Chapter With Turkey
- 15Iiss Turkiyes Defence Industry Which Way Forward
- 16Iiss Turkiyes Defence Industry Charts A Course For European Growth
- 17Tandfonline 14702436.2025
- 18Rusi Turkey Rising Drone Power
- 19Rusi Russias Options Naval Basing Mediterranean After Syrias Tartus
- 20Rusi Black Sea Significance European Security
- 21Reuters Turkish Firms Sign 65 Bln Contracts Reinforce Steel Dome Air Defence System 2025 11 26
- 22Apnews Steel Dome Erdogan Air Defense
- 23Nationalinterest Turkeys Regional Power Push
- 24Foreignaffairs Turkeys Middle Power Dilemma
- 25Chathamhouse How Will Geopolitics Shape Turkeys International Future
- 26Aljazeera Why Turkeys Military Is Not What It Used To Be
- 27Nationalinterest Turkeys Military Still One Middle Easts Best 92816
- 28Iiss Iiss Turkiyes Defence Industry Which Way Forward
- 29Atlanticcouncil How Turkeys Strategic Ambiguity Became An Advantage In A Multipolar World
- 30Apnews Hamas Turkey Israel Threat
- 31Middleeasteye Peace Prepare War How Turkey Sees Israel Attack Qatar
- 32Reuters Pakistan Saudi Turkey Defence Deal Pipeline Pakistani Minister Says 2026 01 15
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