Did you notice something about the NATO summit held in Türkiye? We are certain you didn’t; it escaped everyone’s attention. Leaders from 33 countries gathered, and among them were two elderly leaders—both 80 years old. One was Turkey’s leader, Tayyip Erdoğan, and the other was the US leader, Trump. Almost all the European leaders were between the ages of 40 and 55; compared to these two leaders, they seemed almost childlike.
So, what is the difference between young leaders and elderly ones? It isn’t experience… If you have the right advisors and aren’t stubborn, you can acquire experience along the way. Young leaders tend to be far more reasonable and free from personal obsessions. Elderly leaders, however—with their established characters, stubbornness, and arrogance—often become the primary causes of war, or of poverty, oppression, and dictatorship within their own countries.
Look, the NATO summit held in Türkiye was magnificent, and Erdoğan’s palace was so spectacular that even the visiting leaders could not hide their astonishment. Ostentation is a hallmark of underdeveloped nations. Erdoğan sums this up with the phrase, “There is no economizing on prestige.” Trump, meanwhile, constantly behaves like a bully or a mafia boss.
Inflation stands at 80 percent. Sixty percent of society lives below the poverty line. Per capita national income is around 4,000, yet Erdoğan’s palace is magnificent…