Brian M Downing and the world at war. Timely, thoughtful, and nonpartisan analysis of military matters. @BrianMDowning1.
Brian M Downing There’ve been signs of progress in the on-and-off talks to end the Afghan war. President Trump, applying a business-like approach, wants to liquidate the war and has mentioned halving the US presence there. The Taliban note progress in the Doha parleys and have sent an important figure Read More …
Brian M Downing Hard on the heels of announcing a complete withdrawal of the 2,000 GIs in Syria, President Trump has ordered half the 14,000 US troops out of Afghanistan. The Syrian move led to dismay in many quarters. Secretary of Defense Mattis resigned because of it, at least in Read More …
Brian M Downing As the British and Russian Empires expanded into Central Asia in the 19th century, remote and seemingly irrelevant Afghanistan became contested. Each side sent emissaries to parley with its tribes and peoples. Ever since the days of Durand, Kipling, and Ignatiev, foreign powers have vied for influence Read More …
Reviewed by Brian M Downing ISIL has lost most of its territory in Iraq and Syria, though it’s still present in the arid, sparsely-populated lands straddling the two fragmented countries. The Islamist group also has a presence in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and surrounding areas. ISIL calls this region “Khorasan” – a Read More …
Brian M Downing President Trump issued a warning to Pakistan last January and this week he cut $300 million in military aid to our putative ally. Other forms of aid are continuing, however. The reason for the cuts is Islamabad’s support for the Taliban, which has been gaining ground in Read More …
Brian M Downing President Trump, like many people, is frustrated by the lack of progress in Afghanistan. This comes only a year after he sent in more GIs. Since then, the Taliban have continued to expand their presence in rural districts and recently struck a large city, Ghazni, a hundred Read More …
Brian M Downing The Trump administration is concerned about China’s ascendance in world affairs, often at US expense. Its economy will surpass the US’s in a decade or so. Military spending has increased, especially in naval and air might. China’s territorial claims and fortified artificial islands are well known. Beijing’s Read More …
Brian M Downing President Trump has signaled displeasure with the absence of progress in the Afghanistan war. Only a year ago he dismissed his instincts to get out of the landlocked country and instead opted to send in more troops. Some NATO allies have already done so. Whether the president’s Read More …
Brian M Downing Since its remarkable offensive of 2014, ISIL has been steadily worn down by Kurdish and Arab forces in Syria and by special forces and militias in Iraq. Both campaigns relied heavily on American support. ISIL retains positions in eastern Syria and western Iraq and was able to Read More …
Brian M Downing Sectarian conflict, chiefly between Saudi Arabia and Iran, has been underway for decades. Based at least as much on religious hatred as on national security, it reached intense levels with the Iran-Iraq War of the 80s which took hundreds of thousands of lives. Afterward, animosities lessened but Read More …