Brian M Downing and the world at war. Timely, thoughtful, and nonpartisan analysis of military matters. @BrianMDowning1.
Egypt comes down hard – and clumsily Brian M Downing Amnesty International reported this week that Egyptian security and judicial authorities are responsible for torturing and disappearing hundreds of dissidents. Egypt has long had trouble with terrorism. The assassination of Anwar Sadat in 1981and frequent attacks on tourist sites are the Read More …
Netanyahu builds up his majority – and the “iron wall”? Brian M Downing Last week Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu replaced his defense minister with Avigdor Lieberman – a conservative who has found a niche to the right of the PM. Lieberman’s public support is in the Russian immigrant community and Read More …
The House of Saud tries to modernize (at last) Brian M Downing Saudi Arabia has announced bold economic moves. Weeks ago Riyadh floated the idea of selling shares in its oil industry to shore up cash reserves, and more recently it announced an ambitious program of building an industrial base. This, the Read More …
Violence in Israel and the West Bank has picked up since late last summer. In recent weeks, casualties have gone up markedly, and ominously. Most troubling is the turmoil centering at the Temple Mount, or Noble Sanctuary as it’s known in Islam. A Third Intifada may be in the offing. The region is 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 The Egyptian generals stand to come out of the present crisis more powerful than before, if they play it right. The old regime – Mubarak’s regime – comprised family cliques, business oligarchs, and the army elite. Two years ago, the army objected to Mubarak’s son as president-in-waiting Read More …
Brian M Downing The remarkable rising against Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak has roused interest throughout the world. Interest is especially keen in Iran, where official statements and propaganda have been aimed at the so-called Arab Street for many years now. Egyptians did not need a foreign agit-prop campaign to know Read More …