It's Thursday, October 30, 2025. I'm Albert Mueller, and this is the briefing, a daily analysis of news and events from a Christian worldview.

Yesterday was Republic Day in the nation of Turkey. The Republic of Turkey began on October the 29th, 1923 when it was declared,

and this really is a big story in terms of world history. And it takes us to a big fabric,

a big tapestry of history, particularly at the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th centuries.

What in the world is going on here? Well, for one thing, as you end the 19th century and begin the 20th century, we're not talking about the 20th centuries. What in the world is going on here? Well, for one thing, as you end the 19th century

and begin the 20th century, we're not talking about the Republic of Turkey, we're talking about the

Ottoman Empire. Now, just keep in mind a timeline of history. The Ottoman Empire seized

Constantinople and established the Ottoman Empire with Constantinople as its capital. And by the way,

it really wasn't known as Istanbul widely until the 20th century. And so Constantinople became the very

center of Ottoman life. And remember, this was an Islamic empire. It was known as the Ottomans

because of the families that began it. And of course, the Ottoman Empire at the time was one of the most powerful empire. It was known as the Ottomans because of the families that began it. And of course, the

Ottoman Empire at the time was one of the most powerful empires ever seen on Earth. At its height,

it controlled much of Southern Europe going up into the Balkans, and it went across North

Africa all the way across the Mediterranean area. It was a massive empire, and it was a massive threat to Europe. And as a

matter of fact, there were particular battles, battles in places like Vienna and battles in

Budapest right at the gates. Had those battles gone differently, Europe, as we know it, would not

exist. And then you fast forward, the United States of America, as we know it, would also not exist.

So we're looking at the fact that history could have been otherwise.

In human terms, we always have to remember the history could have been otherwise.

We have to remember there are contingent events from a human perspective that make a dramatic difference.

Who wins a war? Which empire rises? Which empire falls? So the Ottoman Empire was already known as the

sick man of Europe at the end of the 19th century. All kinds of reasons for that, but one of the major

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