Brian M Downing and the world at war. Timely, thoughtful, and nonpartisan analysis of military matters. @BrianMDowning1.
Brian M Downing Kenneth M Pollack – Armies of Sand: The Past, Present, and Future of Arab Military Effectiveness (New York: Oxford University Press, 2019) Shortly after ISIL routed the Iraqi army in 2014, I was told that Iraqi tanks had several reverse gears and one forward gear. The latter Read More …
Brian M Downing Candidate Trump sounded ominous warnings toward Iran which continued into his presidency. He withdrew the US from the JCPOA, reimposed sanctions, and is trying to bring Tehran’s oil exports down to a trickle. Only Saudi Arabia, the GCC states, and Israel support the US. Fighting seemed near Read More …
Brian M Downing Military thinkers have long stressed the importance of deception. Hiding troop movements, disguising weaknesses, and faking retreats have all been part of warfare since Sun Tzu wrote twenty-five centuries ago. Eisenhower pretended to have an entire army waiting to invade the Pas de Calais. He even placed George Read More …
Brian M Downing Foreign policy has to deal with unexpected events. That’s the nature of the undertaking. The process is burdened by group think, inexperienced leaders and appointees, and pressure from lobbies – few of which call for less interventionism or see policies as unworkable. Grandiosity and arcaneness can confer workability in Read More …
Brian M Downing The Trump administration has increased the military presence around Iran. This was in response to intelligence reports that Iran was moving missiles around the Persian Gulf. American media reported the Iranian moves endangered US troops in the region. Previous administrations have made similar moves. The Obama administration Read More …
Brian M Downing In coming years, a decade or two at most, domestic fiscal and political pressures will force a pullback from many of the US military bases in some eighty-five countries across the globe. For reasons elaborated upon earlier, Persian Gulf bases might be on the cut list. Oil Read More …
Brian M Downing Strategic alignments are usually based on compelling economic and military interests. But as argued previously, the US and Saudi Arabia are moving in different directions economically and militarily. The US is no longer buying crude from the Gulf and may not be able to afford to keep Read More …
Brian M Downing In coming years, probably no more than fifteen years, the national debt will reach a crisis point. Debt servicing, the amount of money the government expends simply to pay off the interest, will near $1 trillion a year. This will force spending cuts – large ones. The crisis Read More …
Brian M Downing Economic events jolt world affairs. Rising nations look for greater security, power, and territory. Borders change. European powers and the US pursued this agenda in the 19th century. Declining nations seek to hold on to what they have, along their borders and around the globe. Some rethink Read More …
Director: Marat Sarulu (Kazakh)8/10Set in present-day Kazakhstan, the film tells the story of two neighboring families, one Russian, one Kazakh. Comity is broken when the Russian wife gives birth to a baby with Asian features. Hostility lasts for some 15 years. Family lore and folk legends are slowly introduced that tell of the Read More …