Brian M Downing and the world at war. Timely, thoughtful, and nonpartisan analysis of military matters. @BrianMDowning1.
Brian M Downing In recent weeks Trump has been upset with Mohammad bin Salman, the reigning prince of Saudi Arabia. The headstrong young ruler boosted oil production to punish Russia but in so doing he endangered the fiscal stability of many countries, including his own. Trump demanded MBS cut production Read More …
Brian M Downing Saudi Arabia and Russia have failed to agree on production cuts to counter the effect of COVID-19 on oil markets. Putin wanted low prices to cripple the American shale oil industry which is barely profitable and deep in hock. MBS, on the other hand, wanted higher prices Read More …
Brian M Downing Over the weekend the young crown prince ordered the arrest of more of his relatives. He claimed they were plotting against him. The move might stem from the paranoia autocratic rulers are given to. Stalin went after Trotsky, even after he was in exile and no longer Read More …
Brian M Downing Over the last few months Iraq, like many countries in and out of the Middle East, has been hit hard by violent protests. The Baghdad government is paralyzed. Most of the violence was aimed at Iranian targets at the direction of Shia leader Moqtada al Sadr – Read More …
Brian M Downing The US embassy in Baghdad was attacked and besieged by crowds angered by recent US airstrikes on Iran-backed militias. Those strikes came just after one such militia rocketed a base containing US personnel, killing an American contractor. The siege appears to be lifting but the Saudi-Iranian conflict, Read More …
Brian M Downing Oil and power The international interest in Libya is of course mainly about oil, but not simply for the commodity on the world market. Oil and gas can be used to expand power. Russia uses its hydrocarbons to gain influence in Europe and corral former SSRs that Read More …
Brian M Downing The most recent act of terrorism stemming from Saudi Arabia took place last week when a Saudi trainee killed three American military personnel in Florida. Over the years Saudis have propagated an anti-Western ideology across the Islamic world, bombed our embassies, attacked our naval vessel, executed Read More …
Brian M Downing Overt Iranian intervention? Tehran is deeply concerned that events in Iraq will lead to Saudi and American gains along its western border, parts of which have low-level insurgencies. Its only major military ally in the region, Syria, has come out on top in the civil war but Read More …
Brian M Downing Unrest is spreading across many parts of the world. The most violent case might be Iraq where a large youth population is calling for reforms and enduring high casualties for it. Prominent in their demands is a call for the end of Iranian meddling in the country’s Read More …
Brian M Downing Relations between Israel and Russia have shifted, even reversed, more than once since the former’s inception in 1948. This isn’t surprising given the region’s volatility and Moscow’s power vicissitudes. The Soviet Union, in keeping with its policy of weakening Western powers, supported Jewish settlers in the 1948 Read More …