I have a book in my hand: The Age of Maritime Conquest… Its author: Tevfik Kadan, a highly accomplished young friend of ours who received training in maritime affairs. He is currently also successfully serving as the editor-in-chief of Aydınlık newspaper. The Age of Maritime Conquest is his first book… On June 21, 2026, he had a book signing event at the Kadıköy Book Festival. He kindly signed and gifted me this beautiful book.

I read Mr. Kadan's book in one sitting. The book was prepared with meticulous examination and research. Its language is quite plain and fluent… The narratives are arranged in chronological order, maintaining thematic integrity. The best part of the book is its very rich bibliography. This speaks to the objectivity of the narratives. His examination and research of numerous different sources demonstrate his effort to bring the truth to his readers. In this respect, I hope it serves as an example for those writing books on similar subjects.

The book addresses the historical past of maritime affairs. It is explained with examples that states dominating the seas were both wealthy and very powerful. We see with historical examples that states unable to open up to the seas did not last long. From this book, we learn that countries dominating the oceans established great states in different geographies. Especially with the onset of colonialism, it emerges as a plain truth that the real struggle for sovereignty among states took place in the seas.

Today, the seas are not only places where transportation and military superiority are cemented, but also indispensable areas containing many economic values. For this reason, the presence of states in the seas is essential for those wishing to maintain their sovereignty and existence today. The path to becoming a world power passes through the seas. It is also the combat power in the seas that will determine inter-country competition, superiority, and potential wars. Countries that cannot protect their coasts, their own waters, that is, their Blue Homeland, have almost no chance of growing, developing, advancing, or offering a prosperous and happy life to their people!

It is an undeniable fact that countries dominating waterways control world trade. Therefore, contemporary wars should be viewed from this perspective.

Our author states in his book that the conquest of lands in the world has been completed, and from now on, great struggles will be waged for the conquest of the seas.

Tevfik Kadan makes important foresightful determinations in his book that will guide our country towards the future. “Therefore, future sea control will rely on this trio: Space + Artificial Intelligence + Unmanned Systems. In other words, in the future, the states that best control their EEZs (Exclusive Economic Zone-A.H) will not be those with the most ships, but those who best collect, process, and interpret data. The Age of Maritime Conquest, Tevfik Kadan, Kaynak Yayınları, 1st Edition, June 2026, p.89)” From the author's determination, it is understood that the sole path to maritime sovereignty is scientific and technological development.

“The fundamental political unit of the world is the nation-state and will remain so. It is natural and just for all nations to prioritize their own interests and protect their sovereignty. The world functions best when nations prioritize their own interests. (Same work, p.118)” says Mr. Kadan. Justice in the world is possible when nations protect their own interests and are content with them. The desire to take more than one's due does not ensure justice and also leads to endless wars.

“American officials have grown accustomed to thinking about Europe’s problems in terms of insufficient military spending and economic stagnation. However, Europe’s real problems are deeper. Continental Europe has seen its share of global GDP fall from 25 percent in 1990 to 14 percent today, due to national and transnational regulations that weaken creativity and diligence. However, this economic decline is overshadowed by the real and more striking prospect of civilizational collapse. (Same work, p.120)” It is strikingly explained here that Europe is collapsing in almost every field. Therefore, for a collapsing EU to be Turkey's hope for civilization and salvation, what is it if not flogging a dead horse?

The book contains important observations regarding US-China competition. The main backbone of the competition is technological development and maritime dominance. In this area, China has a steadily growing superiority. The US is desperately trying to escape the process of decline it has fallen into by attacking left and right, shedding blood, and burning and destroying. It is impossible for this struggle to end America's process of decline. Here, I must underline a truth. As the US dollar loses its usability in world trade, this decline and collapse will accelerate.

During the Republican era, Turkey made significant strides and notable progress in maritime affairs. The MİLGEM project, initiated by our Naval Forces with great foresight, is a major step towards providing our country with superiority in the seas. Unfortunately, the efforts of the US pawn FETÖ to collapse the Naval Forces with conspiracies like Ergenekon, Balyoz… were aimed at preventing this development. Our nation collectively prevented this hostile attack. Now, there is no obstacle to our development in the seas!

The state that spread over the largest territories in the shortest time in the world is Genghis Khan's Mongol Empire. When this great emperor founded his state, he changed his name from Timuçin which means “ruler of the lands,” to Genghis, meaning “ruler of the seas and lands.” This is an eye-opening example from centuries ago, showing how important maritime dominance is for the development and existence of countries.

With his first book, Tevfik Kadan brought a new breath to the world of thought. My greatest wish is for his books to multiply. May your path be open, my brother, farewell…

                                                       

Adil Hacıömeroğlu