I have a suggestion for Turkey! I have a great dream! We are between the West’s regression and the East’s rise. Brace yourself for more surprises!!

For a long time now, I have been trying to set into motion a discussion, to cultivate an idea, and draw attention to it.

I am pushing the boundaries of my mind to come up with an idea, a future for our beloved Turkey.

It has become obvious that the world is divided into two as the East and West, that the course of the newly developing bloc is progressing in this direction, that it is focusing on a future in this direction, and that conflicts or peace will transpire between one of the two.

All economic, political, security, and cultural formations are taking shape within this frame. The current discussions, alignments are all developing according to this. We see this; we are closely monitoring it.

Can the world produce something new, other than a segregation in the forms of East and West, or a new structuring?

On which axis will we stand?

Must we choose between the East or the West? Will we be able to strike a balance between the two? Considering our future plans, how much longer can we maintain this fragile balance?

We know that unilateral dependence on either the East or the West will ensure a new sort of tutelage, control over Turkey. We fear this, because we are aware that this will force Turkey into new condemnations.

Most importantly, with its tradition of empires, its regional sovereignty in Asia, the Middle East and Europe, its ability to build power – which is spread throughout centuries – and its political legacy, which surrenders to no alliance link when power exceeds a certain limit, Turkey is a country that will, without a doubt, seek new pursuits.

Hence, its deep-seated relations with the perishing West, and its exciting pursuits with the rising East will not satisfy Turkey. This is because Turkey has sought these pursuits with its ideals immediately after the end of the Cold War. It ventured into this pursuit with its power right after the July 15, 2016 coup attempt. Since the breakout of the pandemic, it made clear this intention with its claims, means, and capabilities.

So, what does Turkey want to do? Or what can it do? What can it add to all that it has accomplished to date? What can it suggest to the outside world, one step beyond the power domain it built around itself?

Beyond its Turkey-based efforts, what sort of a vast region-based supranational structure can it pave the way for? Will it pursue a great effort that will leave its mark on the century in this sense? Can it possibly lead the rise of a new axis other than the East-West axis?

As a matter of fact, we have been doing this for 2 thousand years now. We did this while establishing empires and ending empires. We did it while shaping the region and while gifting the world powerful political structures. We will do it again. We will put forth offers once more. We will lead again. Or we will provide strength and support for such efforts once again.

The “Turkey axis” is now established. Turkey identified its own power map. It paved the path it will take towards the future. We see this beyond our southern border, in the East Mediterranean, in the Caucasus.

The Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) are currently on duty in three continents. Our civil organizations and business world are traveling continents; they have reached the farthest corners of the world.

Taking this into consideration, “Turkey’s presence” reaches from the depths of Africa to Central Asia, from every corner of the Middle East to the Far East, much beyond it owns orbit. Most importantly, it has an extremely powerful “political discourse” that is effective beyond the East’s and West’s “absolutely identified borders,” and Turkey is strengthening this discourse.

But can we produce a political concept much beyond Turkey’s axis? Can we suggest a vaster top structure with more participants? Can we build hope? Can we present a new political definition, a power definition, a pursuit outside of the East’s and West’s political control?

This is what we are discussing and seeking here.

The world’s biggest free trade deal between Asia-Pacific countries was signed on Nov. 15, 2010. With this deal, East and Southeast Asia countries established a great partnership.

Asia-Pacific countries, which filled the void that emerged with the West’s regression, excluded the U.S. and Europe when they signed this agreement. This is not an economic partnership alone. The deal laid the foundations of the East axis.

This deal reminded me of something I wrote about time and again for the last five years: There is a “middle zone” that spans the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. This zone is the world’s main axis, and it is Muslim. This zone is where civilizations, cultures and empires were born; it is the homeland of humanity.

Almost all land trade routes, maritime trade routes, the majority of the earth’s energy resources, almost all energy corridors, and the majority of mining resources are located in this zone.

Those who object to the Western world order and produce a political discourse, the masses that clash with the global order if necessary, are all in this zone. This is where all the central powers of the West and the East, all rising powers fight for space. The new form of the global system is going to take shape through those who dominate this zone. Thus, the strongest conflicts and power battles all take place here.

Turkey is right at the center of this axis. From the Atlantic coasts to the Pacific, from Central Africa to Central Asia, there is no other country that has such a vast area of influence, or political and cultural heritage.

Turkey can launch an in-depth operation on the “Middle Zone Project.” It can lay the foundations of supranational economic partnerships. In time, it can turn this into a joint political power.

Turkey has the potential to become the destination, the hub of a new power ascent between the West’s regression and the East’s rise. It has the potential to build a “Middle Zone” presence between the East and the West – and we can find another name for this. If this is accomplished, Turkey may change the world’s axis.

Departments, research/operational centers should be established under the Presidency, the Foreign Ministry, the Defense Ministry, and relevant departments in order to carry out such in-depth operations. A strategic mentality must be produced; a future-oriented plan must be drawn up.

While the East or the West axis is in development, the world’s center must not be isolated and oscillate. The 21st century Islamic zone should not be a region of chaos in the 21st century as well. This is how they’ve defined us. But this is not set in stone.

Turkey must open this topic to discussion within an intellectual framework, and focus on developing an awareness, an idea, a discourse. If we start with a new “political region definition,” we will see that numerous countries from North Africa to the Pacific coasts are on a similar pursuit.

Every step we take, every new world-scale development is driving us into this. Turkey can change the world’s axis. A power rise in the central region could shake the East’s and West’s entire power strategies.

We are in the age of great claims, great ideals, and the extraordinary. The course the world will take is extremely ambiguous. Therefore, Turkey may present a joint regional identity with a great claim. If we cannot achieve this, what we call the “Middle Zone” will perhaps continue to be the region of conflicts, land sharing, and poverty for two more centuries.

Those who are trying to comprehend all this with “the mentality of the East and West” will not be able to understand anything. Yet those who view it all “from Turkey’s, from the region’s perspective,” will see that this miracle is not scary, that it is possible and obligatory.

Do not forget: Power is shifting towards the East. The West is losing ground. But this is not a conjunctural change. The political power map of the last five centuries is changing. Do not compare this with anything else.

Be prepared for extraordinary surprises!