Brian M Downing and the world at war. Timely, thoughtful, and nonpartisan analysis of military matters. @BrianMDowning1.
Brian M Downing The US recognition of Jerusalem as capital of Israel is bringing angry protest in many parts of the world. Most of it is easing, giving way to realization that the Israeli prime minister and his Likud predecessors have outmaneuvered the Palestinians. There will be no Palestinian state Read More …
Brian M Downing Armies prize discipline and respect for law and procedure. This attracts them to conservatism, at least in most of its manifestations. The American officers corps, according to Military Times polls, is staunchly conservative. Israeli generals, though, have historically supported parties across the political spectrum. Yigal Allon helped found Read More …
Israeli generals, the Palestinian question, and a growing divide Brian M Downing The matter of a Palestinian state has for the most part fallen by the wayside. Recently, however, Vladimir Putin has broached the idea of holding talks in Russia between Israel and the Palestinians. The talks will not be Read More …
A review of The Unmaking of Israel by Gershom Gorenberg. (New York: Harper, 2011). ISBN-10: 0061985082. Price US$25.99, 336 pages. by Brian M Downing. Gershom Gorenberg is an American-born Israeli and longtime critic of the West Bank occupation and keen observer of the religious right in Christianity, Islam, and Judaism.1 He sees ominous trends Read More …
Brian M Downing A review essay of A New Voice for Israel: Fighting for the Survival of the Jewish Nation by Jeremy Ben-Ami; and The Unmaking of Israel by Gershom Gorenberg. The entry of the moderate Kadima party into the right-wing Likud government has brought questions as to what the Read More …