Brian M Downing and the world at war. Timely, thoughtful, and nonpartisan analysis of military matters. @BrianMDowning1.
Brian M Downing China’s emergence as a global economic power is clear. How China will affect governments around the world, isn’t. Over the last decade, it has gone abroad and locked up critical oil and ore contracts and embarked upon numerous major construction projects such as railroads, pipelines, and port Read More …
Brian M Downing With the change of presidents in 2009, many observers expected to see a decline in unmanned aircraft strikes inside Pakistan. After all, these drone attacks were widely seen as part of the George W Bush administration’s heavy-handed approach to going after terrorists along the AfPak line. The Read More …
Brian M Downing The once seemingly overwhelming momentum of the democratic movements in the Middle East has been stopped or at least slowed in many countries. The forces behind staunching the tide of change are often domestic in nature, but Saudi Arabia is playing an important supporting role – sometimes Read More …
Brian M Downing World attention is rightly fixed on the fighting in Libya, but events in Saudi Arabia slated for Friday, March 11, might well take precedent. Young Saudis are mobilizing for “day of rage” demonstrations calling for political reforms but the regime has warned against any such gatherings. A Read More …
Brian M Downing United States Secretary of Defense Gates recently complained there was no plan to halt Iran’s nuclear research, which is thought to be aimed at building atomic weapons. It is more accurate to say that plans to halt the program – both diplomatic and military – are impractical Read More …
Brian M Downing A top al-Qaeda commander was reportedly killed on Wednesday by government forces in Yemen’s southern Shabwa province, coinciding with a top United States official suggesting that the US should launch air strikes there and Iran ramping up tensions with Saudi Arabia. Yemen’s Saba news agency reported that Read More …
Brian M Downing The September 11th attacks led to various responses in the American public, shock and outrage the most immediate. Subsequent polling data showed another response. Trust in government rose sharply and immediately – a curious phenomenon, for 9/11 could be readily seen as resulting from colossal government failures. Read More …
Brian M Downing The September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States led to various responses in the American public, shock and outrage the most immediate. Subsequent polling data showed another response. Trust in government rose sharply and immediately – a curious phenomenon, for 9/11 could be readily seen as Read More …
Brian M Downing In recent weeks we’ve seen numerous supporters of the war point confidently to positive indicators and to benchmarks being met or neared. And we’ve also seen numerous critics of the war assert just as confidently that there’s been little if any progress. It all makes me think Read More …
Brian M Downing The United States’ war in Iraq, as is more apparent with each passing year, is going badly. The administration of President George W Bush has recently admitted as much and announced a new strategy – or at least a new word. “Counterinsurgency” glitters in studies of guerrilla Read More …