If we give a simple and quick consideration to this phrase as we do to all slogans, the meaning it presents is that the presence of a strong army will make Turkey stronger. Against whom? Well, primarily against the outside. There should be no other meaning to it. The army is Turkey's army and Turkey shall display its strength to its neighborhood with its army. To be able to show your strength, you need a strong army. If your army is strong, then Turkey will be strong. That's the case, right? Is this reasoning and conclusion correct?For those who have some idea about today's world and know a little bit about the international atmosphere we live in, it is incorrect. Mathematically, the first factor that determines a country's strength is the economy. In the international system, the power and credibility of countries are compared to their economies. If you say “a strong economy and a strong army,” this isn't possible for a Turkey that is dependent on foreign countries when it comes to military technology. Economic power is created according to choices made on scarce resources. If you transfer all your economic strength to defense, which is an unproductive and impaired investment, your military will become stronger but your economy will weaken. Take, for example, how military expenditures are the biggest burden on Turkey's economy. Under these circumstances, you can become a country like North Korea, which has a weak economy but a strong army.
The second factor that makes a country strong in the international system is a country's political and legal order. A country not dominated by democracy is isolated from the rest of the world. Widespread human rights violations are no longer considered a country's own domestic issue in the current world system. You cannot defend a country that violates human rights and that does not adhere to democracy with a strong army. Moreover, it's your ability to engage in international cooperation and diplomatic advantages that make you stronger than your army.
If we were to take the cause and effect relationship and use good rationale, a strong Turkey's power centers are -- in order of precedence -- a robust economy that has competitive power; a political order that drives on democracy, human rights and the law; diplomatic capabilities; and, lastly, a strong army. The most important conclusion of this list is that when making a decision about the army, you must first pay attention to its place on the priority list.
It is also necessary to ask the question, “What is a strong army?” Is a strong army a large army that has a lot of weapons? No. Conventional armies prepared according to frontline wars or battles are old fashioned. Professional armies that demonstrate their ability in collective international operations, are less bureaucratic and more resilient, have preventive and deterrent qualities and are focused on sustaining peace represent today's strong armies.
Military ceremonies and demonstrations performed to show off to foreign military attaches in your country were peculiar to the Cold War years. They no longer have an effect. Not many armies are left in the world that prepare ceremonies like our Aug. 30 Victory Day celebrations.
Let's ask a question based on our concrete question. What kind of an army does Turkey need to solve its most important security problem? Won't a military that adheres to democratic decision-making mechanisms and the law, that respects human rights and that is transparent and accountable be good for Turkey's security even before its combat ability? Turkey is in urgent need of foreign security reform. We must re-evaluate everything about our military. Moreover, we need this reform for the sake of a “strong Turkey.” A strong Turkey does not come from a strong army. To understand the error in this logic, all we need to do is take a look at the world.
