Alexander Cockburn

:This page is on the journalist Alexander Cockburn.

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:For the Lord Chief Justice of that name, see Sir Alexander Cockburn, 12th Baronet.

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Lord Chief Justice - Sir Alexander Cockburn, 12th Baronet

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Alexander Claud Cockburn (pronounced coburn) (born June 6, 1941) is a progressive Irish journalist who has lived and worked in the United States since 1973. Together with Jeffrey St. Clair he edits the political newsletter Counterpunch. He also writes the "Beat the Devil" column for The Nation and a weekly syndicated column for the Los Angeles Times. Cockburn is also a regular contributor to the Anderson Valley Advertiser.

Related Topics:
June 6 - 1941 - Irish - Journalist - United States - Jeffrey St. Clair - Counterpunch - The Nation - Los Angeles Times - Anderson Valley Advertiser

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Born in Scotland, Cockburn grew up in Youghal, County Cork, Ireland, son of the well-known Socialist author and journalist Claud Cockburn. After studying at Oxford, Alexander worked in London as a reporter and commentator, and after moving to the United States wrote extensively for numerous publications, including The New York Review of Books, Esquire, and Harper's. Until 1983 Cockburn was a writer with The Village Voice, originating its longstanding "Press Clips" column, but he was suspended for accepting a grant from a Palestinian organization without disclosing this. He left the publication upon being offered the "Beat the Devil" column with The Nation. Since leaving the Voice he has also written columns for the Wall Street Journal, New York Press and the New Statesman.

Related Topics:
Scotland - County Cork - Ireland - Socialist - Claud Cockburn - Oxford - London - The New York Review of Books - Esquire - Harper's - The Village Voice - Wall Street Journal - New York Press - New Statesman

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Over the years, Cockburn's writings have consistently displayed certain themes (for evidence, see his writings in Counterpunch or the books listed below). These include:

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• Outspoken criticism of US foreign policy, from its policies in Central America in the 1980s, including the Iran-contra scandal, to the First Gulf War in 1991, the Kosovo War in 1999, and the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 and 2003 invasion of Iraq .
• Hostility to the government of Israel based on its treatment of the Palestinians.
• Calls for political reform in the United States, mostly focused on criticising the Democratic Party for failing to provide a progressive alternative to the Republican Party, as well as strong support for Ralph Nader's presidential candidacies in the 2000 and 2004 elections.
• Contempt for the mainstream establishment, in particular for public figures who, in his view, garner mainstream respectability by criticising those to their left; targets have included the New York Times, representative Bernie Sanders, the late academic Irving Howe and some of his The Nation colleagues, including Marc Cooper, David Corn http://www.counterpunch.org/cockburn1114.html and Eric Alterman.

Cockburn also engages in frequent criticism of his fellow expatriate and former friend, Christopher Hitchens, and has highlighted Hitchens's alcohol intake among other things http://www.counterpunch.org/snitch.html.

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At times acerbic, Cockburn can also be gently ironic, once declaring Gerald Ford America's greatest president for doing the least damage and praising the Lewinsky scandal's entertainment value.http://www.wsws.org/news/1998/sep1998/cbrn-s02.shtml In the same vein, he has also expressed his admiration for the beauty of both Tipper Gore and Laura Bush.

Related Topics:
Gerald Ford - President - Lewinsky scandal - Tipper Gore - Laura Bush

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Cockburn was recently fingered by Alan Dershowitz as being one of three leaders (along with Norman Finkelstein and Noam Chomsky) who he claims are on a systematic campaign to discredit him http://www.jbooks.com/interviews/index/IP_Dershowitz.htm, http://www.normanfinkelstein.com/article.php?pg=11&ar=24.

Related Topics:
Alan Dershowitz - Norman Finkelstein - Noam Chomsky

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Cockburn has two brothers, Andrew Cockburn and Patrick Cockburn who are also journalists. Journalists Stephanie Flanders and Laura Flanders are his nieces.

Related Topics:
Andrew Cockburn - Patrick Cockburn - Laura Flanders

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Alexander Cockburn: Books ►