GÜNCEL YAZILAR - Sedat Laçiner

By Sedat Laçiner "Make America Great Again" is Donald Trump 's most frequently repeated slogan—one that has effectively become his political motto. Most people assume that by invoking "MAGA," Trump is celebrating America's greatness. In reality, however, the slogan is built on the assumption—and indeed the assertion—that the United States is no longer a great power. The key lies in a single word: "again." If a country must be made great again, it implies that it has lost the greatness it once possessed. By championing MAGA , Trump is effectively arguing that America has ceased to be "great" and that he alone can restore its former status. Put differently, Trump's message is: "America used to be great. It isn't anymore. I will make it great again." Previous American presidents openly acknowledged that the country faced serious challenges. When Barack Obama declared, "Yes We Can," he was referring to those very ...

By Sedat Laciner History makes one thing clear: geography is destiny—especially for Russia. For centuries, Russia’s strategic ambitions have been shaped by its vast landmass, its relative isolation from warm-water ports, and its constant insecurity over territorial vulnerability. Nowhere is this more evident than in its historic confrontations with the Ottoman Empire. From the Crimea to the Caucasus, Russian armies once surged southward, even reaching the gates of Istanbul. The conquest of Kars and the push toward the Bosphorus and Dardanelles were not isolated maneuvers, but parts of a centuries-long struggle for access to warm seas and maritime dominance. Had Russia ever managed to control Anatolia and secure access to the Mediterranean via the Turkish Straits, it might have permanently altered the global balance of power. This unfulfilled strategic dream continues to haunt the Kremlin. Indeed, it is not a temporary ambition, but a recurring goal—one that seems poised to endure for a...