Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan invoked the “Turkish Century” in a speech marking the anniversary of the Battle of Manzikert, declaring that “history is being rewritten” in the region.
The Turkish president argued his country now plays a decisive role in shaping developments across the wider region, and warned that “no one can stop” Turkey’s course any longer.
Erdogan’s governing coalition partner, Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli, also attended the events.
Erdogan said history is being rewritten in the region, and that Turkey is shaping that history through what he called its conscientious, principled, and peaceful policies. He went on, in an assertive tone, to say his country’s course could no longer be reversed.
“No one can stop this any longer,” he said. “Anyone who thinks they can halt Turkey’s blessed path through provocations and traps is doomed to disappointment.”
He also made clear that Ankara has no intention of changing direction because of outside pressure or provocations, saying Turkey will not stray from the path it knows is right, nor let itself be pulled onto other paths by others’ provocations.
During the speech, Erdogan invoked an old wartime custom, tying a horse’s tail before battle, to illustrate Turkey’s resolve to see its goals through to the end. He said it is a very old national tradition: whenever a campaign begins, a path is chosen, or a mission is undertaken, the horse’s tail is tied, as a sign that no matter what happens, there is no turning back and the course will be carried through to the end.
Erdogan tied that symbolism to his vision for the “Turkish Century” and to Ankara’s stated goal of a Turkey, and a region, free of terrorism. He said the tradition was carried out to build the Turkish Century and to achieve the goal of a Turkey without terrorism and a region without terrorism.
The Turkish president further argued that Turkey seeks to help turn the wider region into a place of peace and stability, stressing the need to eliminate the lasting effects of terrorism. He closed by saying the tradition was carried out to restore peace and calm to the region and to remove what he called the daggers terrorism has driven into eternal brotherhood.
