We agree with the Turkish lawmaker on the fundamental principle behind her position.
There is no justification for sending young Turkish soldiers to Saudi Arabia only to become involved in a war that does not directly serve their country’s security interests.
Saudi Arabia possesses enormous financial resources and military capabilities. It has every right to protect its territory and population, but that does not give it the right to turn other countries’ armies into military guarantees for its regional policies.
We reject the Mecca Agreement in its current form, not because we oppose cooperation among Muslim countries, but because military alliances formed in the middle of ongoing conflicts can easily evolve from defensive arrangements into binding commitments that drag additional countries into war.
Yemen does not need more foreign armies, and Saudi Arabia does not need another prolonged war of attrition.
If Ankara genuinely wants to play a responsible regional role, it would be far wiser to use its political and diplomatic influence to establish a serious negotiating process between Riyadh and Sanaa — one that respects Yemen’s sovereignty and guarantees civilian security on both sides of the border.
The Bottom Line:
Before sending a single Turkish soldier into a confrontation connected to Yemen, Turkey’s leadership should take a hard look at its own history.
Despite its considerable military power, the Ottoman Empire was unable to establish stable control over Yemen’s highlands, and its presence there ultimately ended in the aftermath of World War I.
The lesson is not about which side possesses the most advanced aircraft or missiles. It is about the limits of military power when confronted with determined, long-term local resistance.
We support the rejection of Turkish troop deployments to Yemen and oppose turning Turkey into another participant in a new war of attrition under the umbrella of the Mecca Agreement.
History does not necessarily repeat itself, but ignoring its lessons can force nations to pay the same price twice.
Now Spain! Barcelona Erupts in Violent Riots — is europe’s Youth Protest Wave Spreading?
October 25, 2026 | Barcelona, Spain
Violent unrest swept through central Barcelona on Saturday evening, October 24, as a youth demonstration inspired by France’s growing protest movement descended into clashes with police, burning barricades, vandalism and widespread looting.
What began as a gathering organized through social media quickly turned into one of the city’s most serious nights of disorder in recent weeks.
Why did the protests begin?
The demonstration was promoted on TikTok and other platforms under the slogan Instituts Indignats (Outraged High Schools), inspired by France’s Lycéens Indignés movement.
The French movement began over deteriorating school conditions, teacher shortages and inadequate education funding before expanding into broader anger over the cost of living, inequality and government policies.
In Barcelona, however, the gathering adopted a more general anti-establishment message, with no clearly defined set of demands.
How did the situation escalate?
Around 600 young people gathered near Plaça de Catalunya. Groups of masked demonstrators began smashing shop windows, setting rubbish containers and street furniture on fire, constructing barricades and throwing projectiles at police.
Riot officers intervened, and clashes spread into surrounding streets, forcing businesses to close and authorities to restrict access to the city centre.
The latest figures:
▪️ 128 people arrested, including 72 minors.
▪️ 15 police officers injured, four seriously.
▪️ 23 businesses vandalized or looted.
▪️ 33 fires requiring firefighter intervention.
What is the Spanish Government Doing?
Police intervention: Catalonia’s regional police, the Mossos d’Esquadra, deployed riot-control units, dispersed demonstrators and carried out mass arrests.
Legal consequences: Barcelona Mayor Jaume Collboni announced that the city would pursue legal action against those responsible, including potential liability for parents or guardians of minors.
Regional government: Catalan President Salvador Illa condemned the violence and defended the police response.
Investigation: Authorities are investigating how the demonstration was organized and spread through social media.
The immediate official response has come primarily from Catalonia’s regional authorities and Barcelona’s municipal government, rather than a separate emergency initiative by Spain’s central government.
The observer’s Analysis | is Europe Facing a Generational Crisis?
What happened in Barcelona deserves attention beyond the destruction of storefronts and burning barricades.
France’s student protests have demonstrated how rapidly anger over education and living conditions can evolve into a broader challenge to political authority.
Barcelona now illustrates how protest movements can cross national borders through social media, even when local participants lack a unified political programme.
But there is an important distinction: legitimate frustration over economic conditions and public services does not justify attacking police officers, looting businesses or endangering civilians.
At the same time, treating every expression of youth dissatisfaction as merely a policing problem risks overlooking the deeper frustrations driving political discontent across Europe.
The Bottom Line:
France is struggling with a widening social protest movement.
Spain has now witnessed a violent demonstration inspired by that movement.
Whether Barcelona represents an isolated outbreak of disorder or the beginning of broader mobilization remains uncertain.
Europe’s governments face two separate challenges: restoring public order and addressing the grievances that make anti-establishment movements attractive to young people.
Arrests may end a night of rioting. They do not necessarily resolve the frustrations behind it.
Bloomberg Exposes the Fragility of Saudi Military Power — Billions Spent on American Weapons, Yet Yemen Can Still Threaten the Heart of the Kingdom!
October 25, 2026 | Riyadh – Sanaa
In a striking Bloomberg opinion column titled “The Gulf State Militaries Are Looking Very Hollow,” British military historian and journalist Max Hastings examines the weaknesses of Gulf military power, particularly Saudi Arabia’s, amid the escalating confrontation with Yemen’s Ansar Allah forces.
For decades, the kingdom used its oil wealth and political influence to consolidate its regional position. Today, however, it faces a security crisis that its enormous military arsenal has struggled to contain.
Airports under threat: Missile and drone attacks have disrupted air traffic and forced Saudi airports to suspend operations, although Riyadh’s main airport announced the resumption of international flights today.
Civilians paying the price: Attacks on Riyadh’s airport have killed civilians and injured hundreds, while growing security concerns have unsettled international travelers and Muslim pilgrims visiting the kingdom.
Americans are leaving: Washington ordered non-essential US government personnel and their families to leave Saudi Arabia, highlighting the seriousness of the threats facing the kingdom.
An economy under pressure: The risks are no longer limited to military facilities. They have spread to aviation, oil, investment, and tourism — sectors central to Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 transformation programme.
The Military Paradox | Where have the Billions Spent on Weapons Gone?
Saudi Arabia’s defense budget stands at approximately $83 billion in 2026. The kingdom possesses advanced American fighter jets, Patriot air-defense systems, sophisticated radars, and other expensive military equipment.
Yet Yemeni missiles and drones have repeatedly demonstrated their ability to penetrate parts of Saudi Arabia’s defenses and reach sensitive targets.
This is precisely the problem Hastings raises: possessing advanced weapons does not necessarily mean possessing a military capable of independently conducting a prolonged and complex war.
Reliance on foreign expertise for maintenance and technical support, alongside dependence on the United States for intelligence and air defense, exposes the limits of Saudi military independence.
And here is the uncomfortable question for Riyadh: What is the value of possessing one of the region’s most expensive military arsenals if the security of critical national infrastructure remains dependent on foreign support?