Brian M Downing and the world at war. Timely, thoughtful, and nonpartisan analysis of military matters. @BrianMDowning1.
Brian M Downing Tensions over the Ukraine have brought firm responses from the United States and NATO in the form of troop deployments into Eastern Europe and threats of sanctions. Turkey is nominally in NATO but has opted to triangulate between Russia and the US. A Russian invasion of the Read More …
Brian M Downing Israel and Russia were once enemies. Moscow backed Arab states against the emerging Jewish state in 1948 and then in the 1956, 1967, and 1973 wars. Things changed. Israel and Russia now have important ties based on trade and geopolitics. The Ukraine crisis, though seemingly beyond Israel’s Read More …
Rumors of war between Russia and the Ukraine have become more insistent since beginning last fall. American intelligence believes fighting may break out any day. Talks are ongoing but Putin sees the US as weak, in decline, no longer able to act authoritatively. Nothing out of Washington in the last Read More …
Brian M Downing China, Russia, and Iran are probing American resolve along the vast Eurasian periphery. China presents problems in East Asia, Iran in the Gulf and Levant, Russia from Stettin in the north to Kiev. Putin’s doing his part by deploying combat units along the border with the Ukraine. Read More …
Many states have been supporting various sides in Syria. This has contributed to the stalemate of the last few years. Last fall Russia upped its position by introducing airpower, and Iran did the same by sending in IRGC troops and militias it recruited from the Shia world. It’s tempting to Read More …
Brian M Downing Recent events have shown the ineffectiveness of armies in the Middle East, from Libya to Iraq, and extending beyond the region into Afghanistan. Training missions can teach troops to shoot and march and salute, but not to hold up under fire. Several armies have struggled or collapsed Read More …
Brian M Downing Russia’s annexation of the Crimea has raised national security concerns in Eastern Europe, especially in Poland and the Baltic states of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. Are they next on Vladimir Putin’s agenda of restoring the Great Russian empire? How reliable are the military forces of Eastern Europe? Read More …
Brian M Downing Russian actions in the Eastern Ukraine have taken hold of world attention. The US has responded by sending military aircraft to Poland and Rumania and by seeking to coordinate with EU partners an array of sanctions on Russian political and business elites. Responses, however, will be constrained Read More …
Brian M Downing Last week Vladimir Putin executed bold moves in the Eastern Ukraine – a part of the country that may soon be an autonomous region, an independent country, or part of Russia (again). There can be little doubt as to who would be the first to recognize it Read More …