Brian M Downing and the world at war. Timely, thoughtful, and nonpartisan analysis of military matters. @BrianMDowning1.
Brian M Downing Candidate Trump promised to break from the JCPOA and press hard on Iran. He asserted that Tehran was expanding its power in the Middle East, supporting terrorism, and continuing to develop nuclear weapons. President Trump has kept his word in this regard. The US has left the Read More …
Brian M Downing In coming decades Saudi Arabia could become more powerful than today. It already has considerable oil wealth and it may become an industrial power too as the crown prince diversifies his economy. Furthermore, he could transform the army into an effective professional forces which in conjunction with Read More …
Brian M Downing Some wars ignite with little warning. The First Gulf War is a case in point. Others are seen from far off. Britain had long allied with Prussia/Germany but became wary as Germany became an industrial and naval power. Alliances shifted, war came. After that war, many diplomats Read More …
Brian M Downing Saudi Arabia is likely to emerge from the ongoing conflict with Iran as master of the Gulf. The US and Israel are seeing to that, though they may rue the day. In coming years Mohammad bin Salman, the 33-year-old heir apparent, may make his realm vastly more Read More …
Brian M Downing The US has been aligned with Saudi Arabia since the 1940s when Washington determined it had expended too much domestic oil in World War Two. Saudi oil was coming on line and deemed an attractive alternative to further depletion of tracts at home. Ties continued for several Read More …
Brian M Downing The US, Saudi Arabia, and Israel are determined to bring change to Iran. They claim it’s violating the JCPOA, supporting terrorism, and aggressively expanding its influence in the region. The US has reimposed sanctions. More will follow in the autumn. This three-power entente wants to soften demand Read More …
Brian M Downing Yemen is in the middle of its third civil war between north and south. None of the conflicts has been sectarian to most Yemenis, even though the north is Shia and the south Sunni. The disputes have been regional in nature – the result of the north Read More …
Brian M Downing This week the US opened its embassy in Jerusalem, moving it from Tel Aviv as President Trump promised. The relocation signaled the president’s disinterest in a two-state solution and support for the Israeli Right’s assimilation of the West Bank. Along the Gaza Strip in the west, Palestinian Read More …
Brian M Downing The US is walking away from the JCPOA and sectarian conflict is poised to spread, intensify, and probably go on for years. The US and Israel are foursquare on the Sunni side. Iran and Saudi Arabia have been at odds since Khomeini came to power in 1979 Read More …
Brian M Downing Critical events related to Middle Eastern conflicts took place last week. Iran apparently fired missiles into the Golan Heights and Israel struck back on numerous Iranian positions in Syria. The US announced it’s leaving the JCPOA and new sanctions on the Islamic Republic are pending. Iran responded Read More …