Is Turkey's militarism a factor driving its foreign policy?

from The Greek Current · host Hellenic Leaders

Azerbaijan’s military offensive against Nagorno-Karabakh last month has seen discussions of war yet again echo across Turkey’s media landscape. As in 2020, pundits on Turkish television delighted in the use of Turkish-made weapons by Azerbaijan, whose victory is greeted as yet another triumph of the Turkish defense industry. This has put the spotlight on Turkey’s strong militarist tendencies, which, as some argue, now perhaps more than ever lie at the heart of Turkish domestic and foreign policy. Ryan Gingeras, a professor in the Department of National Security Affairs at the Naval Postgraduate School and an expert on Turkish, Balkan, and Middle East history, joins Thanos Davelis to look at the trajectory of Turkish militarism and how it increasingly impacts Turkey’s perceptions of affairs abroad.Read Ryan Gingeras’ latest in War On The Rocks: Testing The Trajectory Of Turkish MilitarismYou can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:Greece is a ‘vital conduit’ for the WestPM rolls up sleeves for regional pollsMitsotakis continues nationwide campaign ahead of local and regional elections

What this episode covers

Ryan Gingeras, a professor in the Department of National Security Affairs at the Naval Postgraduate School and an expert on Turkish, Balkan, and Middle East history, joins Thanos Davelis to look at the trajectory of Turkish militarism - which is in the once again in the spotlight following Azerbaijan's offensive against Nagorno Karabakh - and explore how it increasingly impacts Turkey’s perceptions of affairs abroad.