Intelligence reform
The reform process of Turkish intelligence in recent years, led by Hakan Fidan, has several critical dimensions. The first of these was the redefinition of the objectives and strategic aims of intelligence. The MIT, which historically focused on domestic terrorism and security threats to the regime, has primarily concentrated on foreign intelligence and expanded its capabilities in this area. Priority was given to minimizing threats at the source by increasing MIT’s human resources in critical issues and regions in Türkiye’s security environment. In this sense, there was an expansion in the human intelligence network. The second dimension was the creation of a new architecture for the Turkish intelligence ecosystem to act with an integrated and holistic strategy. In this context, the areas of responsibility between intelligence agencies were redefined and intelligence integration was completed. Thus, it became possible to take a holistic intelligence picture. Within the scope of the reforms, MIT was affiliated with the Presidency with the new government system, which minimized administrative problems. The third important point is the enhancement of MIT’s technological capability. In addition to technical intelligence competence, the acquisition of both information and operational superiority in the face of the terrorist threat that Türkiye faces has led to effective results in the fight against terrorism. Especially in the fight against Daesh, the PKK and its Syrian wing YPG, MIT’s increased drone capability provided a strategic advantage and weakened terrorism in Türkiye. The fourth important transformation was MIT’s function in paving the way for foreign policy. At this point, intelligence diplomacy played a critical role.Turkish intelligence in a period of uncertainty
At a time when the international system is undergoing a comprehensive transformation, great power competition is deepening, and the risk of a global conflict is increasing every day, intelligence is becoming a much more important strategic capability. Having a strategic intelligence capability that can not only combat hybrid and asymmetric threats and ensure information superiority but also predict the future stands out as an extremely critical capability. To protect Türkiye’s national, regional and global interests and to consolidate Türkiye’s position as a global actor, Türkiye needs to further develop its existing intelligence capability. Therefore, it is very important to understand MIT’s intelligence doctrine to understand how the international system will undergo a transformation and to be prepared for it.At the 97th anniversary celebration event, Ibrahim Kalın, the head of MIT, underlined very important points. The most important point Kalın drew attention to is that uncertainty is one of the most important risks of today. We are living in a period in which conflicts are increasing, and diversity and technology are beginning to determine all processes. Especially how the international system will transform is very important at this point. Kalın emphasizes that the structures that will establish and sustain new power centers and alliance structures against the unipolar order led by the U.S. have not yet been formed and this situation has led to the emergence of a multiple and fragmented structure in the world. According to Kalın, the closing of the distance between these two structures will make the emergence of new power struggles inevitable in the coming decades. What kind of order will emerge from these power struggles and whether this order will be stable or not remains an important question. According to Kalın, “the alternative to Western-centric conceptions is not and should not be another ethnocentrism.”
Behind the geopolitical tensions between the West and the non-Western world is the fact that they have not yet come up with a vision of order on which they can agree. This uncertainty in the international system leads to the diversification of hybrid and asymmetric threats and the emergence of a global crisis of legitimacy. Considering that the crises in Ukraine and Gaza have deepened the crisis of global governance, the most fundamental problem of the international system is the failure to build a new, just and rules-based international system. The fact that Turkish intelligence emphasizes the crisis of international legitimacy to such an extent is important in many respects and should be taken into consideration. This is because the consolidation of an international system that is not based on rules may lead to the deepening of non-traditional security problems that the world faces and the emergence of an anarchic world. Such an environment also increases the challenges faced by intelligence services.
Drawing particular attention to Israel’s war campaign in Gaza, Kalın gives a very important reference on the issue of order without rules. “The principle formulated by Imam Ghazali a thousand years ago is still valid today: Everything that exceeds its limit changes into its opposite. Every power, actor and policy that violates the rights of others by exceeding its natural limits is preparing its own end.” While this approach may be difficult for Western states and Israelis to understand, it is clear that the only way to avoid a future dominated by extremism is to build a new rules-based international system. In this respect, it is important that Türkiye’s approach to U.N. reform is shared by the intelligence community.
