Brian M Downing and the world at war. Timely, thoughtful, and nonpartisan analysis of military matters. @BrianMDowning1.
Brian M Downing Julius Caesar’s letter to the citizens/subjects regarding frontier checkpoints Salutations, esteemed fellow Romans! I write you from Gaul, site of another of our many legions’ encampments around the world. The auguries tell me that there are growing objections, both in the Forum and Senate, to the system Read More …
Coen Brothers Starring: George Clooney, Josh Brolin, Scarlett Johansson, Channing Tatum, Alden Ehrenreich 7.5/10 Hail, Caesar is set in early 1950s Hollywood as studio head Eddie Mannix (Josh Brolin), reminiscent of a gravelly-voiced noir private eye, juggles numerous problems. Among them are a kidnapped star, communist writers, inept actors, fussy directors, and Read More …
Brian M Downing Candidate Trump promised a more aggressive fight with ISIL and a return to military victories. He has not thus far disappointed supporters of tougher stances in world affairs. In the last month, a few hundred marines took up positions around ISIL’s Syrian capital of Reqqa, an unspecified Read More …
Brian M Downing The war in Afghanistan continues. Over the years it’s changed from an effort to destroy al Qaeda, into a US-led counterinsurgency against a revitalized Taliban. Over the last few years it’s become a war of attrition between the Afghan army (ANA) and the Taliban. Meanwhile, al Qaeda is Read More …
Brian M Downing The Middle East has few effective militaries. Army after army has shown little fighting spirit when it comes to foreign enemies or ISIL, preferring instead their primary and usually easy mission of internal repression. The Kurds, on the other hand, have demonstrated formidable military effectiveness. They have blunted ISIL Read More …
Brian M Downing The Trump administration is looking for a steep increase in military spending. It also wants significant cuts in social spending and the State Department budget to help pay for it. More guns, less butter. Less diplomacy too. The budget will be contested in Congress; the cuts and boosts might well be Read More …
Thinking About Nuclear War . . . and Other Things Brian M Downing Like many people, Alex Abella first learned of the RAND Corporation amid the passions of the Vietnam War, to which the famous think tank contributed many analyses. He realized then that the period was not conducive to Read More …
Brian M Downing Israel and Russia have a sound working relationship. Antisemitism has permeated Russia for centuries. The Soviet Union restricted Jewish emigration for many years and only relented after protracted US pressure. Nonetheless, many Israelis retain fondness for their former country and respect Russia for liberating Nazi camps, including Read More …
Brian M Downing Over the last thirty years or so, criticism of the military has been rare. It’s taboo in many quarters. Harsh assessments of the generals are usually deemed unwarranted, or unpatriotic, or an unwelcome return to the vicious and misguided discourse of the Vietnam War. Washington Post writer Read More …
Brian M Downing The Vietnam War had many ironies, twists, and convolutions. Villages, it was said, had to be destroyed in order to save them. Leaders saw signs of significant progress shortly before an unexpectedly strong enemy offensive. The values and institutions that governed America were close to collapse as a Read More …