Recep Şehitoğlu

Türkiye’s relentless efforts to produce indigenous weapons have eventually turned into a success story. While the production of mid-range and mid-size advanced weapons is already concluded, the race for the most advanced and largest weapons is still underway. This study argues that Türkiye has partly ensured a Pax Turka in some conflicts, and the more sophisticated weapons the Turkish defense industry produces, the more the Pax Turka might be prevalent, at least in some parts of the region. A small-scale Pax Turka is likely because, first, the decisive factor for peace is military strength and industry, which Türkiye considerably has and is continuing to have. Second, Türkiye is eligible to lead friendly countries, and the latter may accept the former’s leadership due to various advantages as well as necessities. Third, Türkiye and regional countries, which are also buyers of Turkish weapons, have similar characteristics and are dependent on each other, compelling them to uphold peace with the help of Türkiye. The study also asserts that the scope of Pax Turka may expand in the 2030s.

The book sheds light on the political, strategic, and historical factors shaping the international response to interventions. Thus, it clearly responds to the discourses in the field of international politics that polemicize Western interventions in the respective countries by using thematic analysis. It is considered to be an important work for students and researchers interested in the field in terms of presenting the Western-led interventions in Libya and Syria, their results, and contradictions in an unbiased and clear manner. On the other hand, it stands out as an important contribution to the literature on international relations and conflict resolution, as well as a courageous publication in terms of processing the negativities. In this context, the book titled Humanitarian and Military Intervention in Libya and Syria: Parliamentary Debate and Policy Failure written by Aran M. Lewis is recommended by me as a book that should be read by those working in this field.