Brian M Downing and the world at war. Timely, thoughtful, and nonpartisan analysis of military matters. @BrianMDowning1.
Brian M Downing Oil and power The international interest in Libya is of course mainly about oil, but not simply for the commodity on the world market. Oil and gas can be used to expand power. Russia uses its hydrocarbons to gain influence in Europe and corral former SSRs that Read More …
Brian M Downing The optimism of 2011’s Arab Spring gave way long ago to civil war, jihadism, and disintegration. When Qaddafi met his end in a ditch, Libya became especially chaotic. The colonel governed through personal power and subservient local councils. When he went, the councils vanished and the country Read More …
Brian M Downing The politics and temperament of the emerging left-of-center majority are in place. There of course is no guarantee that they will be the same in a decade or so but a spirit of reconciliation or even civility isn’t likely to emerge, let alone prevail. The object of Read More …
Brian M Downing The US is more divided, polarized, and antagonistic than at any time since Lee handed his sword to Grant. Conflicts over history, sexual identity, spending priorities, toleration, speech, abortion, and gun control plague political institutions and public civility. Presidential elections are only rarely landslides these days and Read More …
Director: Danny DeVito Starring: Jack Nicholson, JT Walsh, Danny DeVito, Armand Assante 5/10 Having recently watched The Irishman, I decided to see this. It isn’t in the same league as Scorsese’s movie and it isn’t very good. Nicholson is more convincing as Hoffa than Pacino was. He looked and sounded Read More …
Brian M Downing The most recent act of terrorism stemming from Saudi Arabia took place last week when a Saudi trainee killed three American military personnel in Florida. Over the years Saudis have propagated an anti-Western ideology across the Islamic world, bombed our embassies, attacked our naval vessel, executed Read More …
Brian M Downing Overt Iranian intervention? Tehran is deeply concerned that events in Iraq will lead to Saudi and American gains along its western border, parts of which have low-level insurgencies. Its only major military ally in the region, Syria, has come out on top in the civil war but Read More …
Director: Martin Scorsese Starring: Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Joe Pesci 10/10 I don’t like many Scorsese films. They’re generally repetitive, often tediously long, and overly reliant on oldies for the soundtrack. But I loaded The Irishman up on Netflix and hit play. First thing that comes on? An annoying Read More …
Brian M Downing Unrest is spreading across many parts of the world. The most violent case might be Iraq where a large youth population is calling for reforms and enduring high casualties for it. Prominent in their demands is a call for the end of Iranian meddling in the country’s Read More …
Brian M Downing President Trump has taken the extraordinary step of stepping into the military justice system. He has countermanded a demotion and granted clemency to military personnel convicted of war crimes. Further, he has delved more deeply into military administration by insisting that a convicted NCO be allowed to Read More …