Brian M Downing and the world at war. Timely, thoughtful, and nonpartisan analysis of military matters. @BrianMDowning1.
The Taliban haven’t heard that the fighting season ended in November. Less an insurgent force and more a conventional army fighting above ground, they continue to press their offensive in the southwestern province of Helmand and have taken key districts. Helmand may fall, imperiling the government’s position in adjacent Kandahar Read More …
ISIL expanded suddenly over the last year and a half, from half-forgotten bombing outfit in western Iraq to regional danger. It has won the allegiance of unaffiliated Islamist groups as well as those formerly bound to al Qaeda. Attention is on North Africa and the Middle East, but conditions conducive to Read More …
In a bold and well-orchestrated offensive, the Taliban swept into the northern Afghan city of Kunduz. Many observers wondered if they were seeing a repeat of the ISIL offensives against Mosul last year and against Ramadi this year. Some wondered if the Afghan army (ANA), after years of hard Read More …
The black flags of ISIL have spread from Iraq and Syria to many other parts of the Islamic world, from North Africa to Central Asia. In recent months they have been seen in Afghanistan, or Khorasan as it is known in Islamic apocalyptic texts – the land where the Read More …
Brian M Downing The Islamist State is seeking to capitalize on its summer offensives in Syria and Iraq by establishing itself as the leader of Islamist militancy – this, at the expense of al Qaeda. Some militant groups, including the Pakistani Taliban, have sworn allegiance to IS, but thus far Read More …
Carter Malkasian, War Comes to Garmser: Thirty Years of Conflict on the Afghan Frontier. (London: C Hurst & Co Publishers; New York: Oxford University Press, 2013). Reviewed by Brian M Downing A government that is losing to an insurgency isn’t being out-fought, it’s being out-governed. – Bernard Fall In 1972, Read More …
Or why is Putin being so helpful? Brian M Downing The US is now sending almost all its supplies for the Afghan war through Russia or countries obedient to Moscow. Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan would not allow US convoys had Russian President Vladimir Putin not sanctioned it. This route has taken Read More …
Brian M Downing The US is withdrawing troops from Afghanistan though the recent agreement with President Ahmid Karzai indicates that the US will retain a significant presence, civilian and military, for many years to come. It is unclear how many western troops will remain but the level will certainly be Read More …
Brian M Downing This week brought news that the United States was releasing a number of Taliban figures of mid-to-high standing in the insurgent group’s political and military apparatus. This is a good sign of efforts to bring about meaningful peace talks, which were thought to have been on hold Read More …
Brian M Downing The United States is withdrawing troops from Afghanistan though the recent agreement with President Hamid Karzai indicates that the US will retain a significant presence, civilian and military, for many years to come. It is unclear how many Western troops will remain but the level will certainly Read More …