Brian M Downing and the world at war. Timely, thoughtful, and nonpartisan analysis of military matters. @BrianMDowning1.
Brian M Downing Director: Alex Winter Superbly made documentary of the eccentric musician using footage of his youth, professional work, family life, political activity, and illness and death. It gives a well-crafted and intriguing look at Zappa’s eccentricities, creativity, abrasiveness, and devotion to making music his way. Zappa comes across Read More …
Brian M Downing The American war The Taliban’s harboring of al Qaeda of course led to the US intervention in 2001. The campaign to expel the Taliban and AQ went remarkably well but subsequent efforts to stabilize and unify the nation failed. The Taliban reconstituted itself and AQ found refuge Read More …
Brian M Downing The US went into Afghanistan in 2001 with the lofty goals of democratizing and modernizing it. Today, neither has been approximated and the goals seem naive or foolhardy. The effort has failed, though no one in Washington wants to admit it. The political system is hopelessly corrupt, Read More …
Brian M Downing After a week of speculation, President Trump has ordered significant troop reductions in Afghanistan and Iraq. No word on Syria yet. Orders and rumors of orders have been with us since Candidate Trump called for an end to unwinnable wars. Afghanistan fits the bill. However, at Read More …
Brian M Downing Biden’s foreign policy team has a lot of work to do. Its predecessors relied on the counsel of inexperienced loyalists and relatives, slighted long-standing allies, and acted arbitrarily and inconsistently. Iran will be important. The Trump administration walked away from the JCPOA and climbed the escalation tree. Read More …
Brian M Downing The Russian view Russian political culture has been shaped by devastating Mongol, Lithuanian, Polish, Swedish, French, and German invasions. Russian villagers have had to scan open horizons for signs of danger. Rulers in the Kremlin have had to do the same. Events along the periphery today are Read More …
Brian M Downing A powerful but uneasy alliance At the outset of this century, Russia was still recovering from the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. The military and state were in disarray, the economy was struggling with the transition to private ownership, several SSRs had declared independence, and Read More …
Brian M Downing Foreign policy is a long game. It’s been going on for millennia. Major powers come and go, alliances are forged and break down. The US, Russia, and China have been friends and enemies in just the last century. Things change and the circumstances of today between those Read More …
Brian M Downing Beijing faces pressures to retake Taiwan. There are important military and political reasons for China to ignore them and tamp down on the hawks. Nonetheless, the PLA may be given the order. The battle will be long and costly and the PLA may have to retreat ignobly Read More …
Brian M Downing Uncertainties of war Churchill noted that wars never proceed as expected. He would know. The Chinese war party in the politburo and general staff might well think hard about his warning. They are inexperienced with actual war and prone to overconfidence and optimistic scenarios. Perhaps they’ve read Read More …