Gönül Tol’s Erdoğan's War presents a compelling and timely analysis of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, arguing that his political maneuvers are driven not by rigid ideological commitment but by a populist’s instinct for survival. The book’s core premise is that Erdoğan is a political chameleon with an uncanny sense for power, using ideologies like Islamism and nationalism as instruments to consolidate power. Using the catastrophic Syrian war as its primary lens, the book meticulously traces Erdoğan’s slide into authoritarianism.
It addresses critical questions: How did the conflict in Syria become a pivotal tool in Erdoğan's domestic power struggles? How did his calculated shifts—from a "conservative democrat" to an Islamist and, finally, a Turkish nationalist—redefine Turkey's foreign policy and its direct role in Syria?
As a leading scholar at the Middle East Institute's Center for Turkish Studies, Tol brings exceptional authority to the subject. Her work is endorsed by leading experts, with David Ignatius of The Washington Post affirming that "no one tells it better." Former U.S. Special Envoy Frederic C. Hof describes the book as an essential "must-read," making it an indispensable guide for understanding not only contemporary Turkey but also the broader dynamics of strongman politics on the world stage.
