Patrick Oliver Cockburn is an Irish journalist who has been a Middle East correspondent since 1979 for the Financial Times and, presently, The Independent. He has written four books on Iraq 's recent history. He won the Martha Gellhorn Prize in 2005, the James Cameron Prize in 2006 and the Orwell Prize for Journalism in 2009.
Afganistanin sotaa kaunistellaan valheilla, 4.3.2014 (Patrick Cockburn)
When it comes to corruption, Britain is catching up fast with the Middle East, Independent, 16 April 2021
Northern Ireland is back as the most dangerous open wound in British political life, Independent, 10 April 2021
The government's race report has fuelled the controversy it was supposed to lay to rest, Independent, 2 April 2021
Vast sums are wasted on high-tech warfare, while the lessons of failures in real wars are ignored, Independent, 27 March 2021
In Syria, the War of Hunger Is Taking Over from the War of Guns, The Unz Review, 20 March 2021
Test and Trace is the dead elephant in the room – its stench grows by the day, Independent, 12 March 2021
The feud between Nicola Sturgeon and Alex Salmond threatens to capsize Scottish nationalism, Independent, 6 March 2021
The government may feel vindicated over the Shamima Begum verdict – but it shouldn't, Independent, 27 February 2021
US media reports of the invasion of the Capitol have contributed to the spread of hatred and fear, Information Clearing House, 24 February 2021
The Arab Spring failed but the rage against misery and injustice continues today, Independent, 12 February 2021
The clash between the UK and EU over Northern Ireland is a precursor to confrontations that will last decades, Independent, 5 February 2021
Scotland is on the same path as Ireland a hundred years ago – the independence movement will be very difficult to stop, Independent, 29 January 2021
The Capitol invasion was not 9/11 in terms of violence but its political importance may be greater, Independent, 22 January 2021
Trump was brought down by his own vicious rhetoric – but the damage he's done to America will be hard to undo, Independent, 19 January 2021
Government mistakes provided the breeding ground for the mutant virus, which it is now using as an alibi for its failures, Independent, 15 January 2021
A calamitous week for Trump has ended his hopes of controlling the Republican Party, Independent, 8 January 2021
Julian Assange has won a significant victory. We should consider what it really means, Independent, 5 January 2021
The UK is Out of the EU, But the Balance of Power in Europe has Tipped Permanently Against It, CounterPunch, 5 January 2021
English exceptionalism is, in fact, unexceptional – our government is making the same errors as other nationalist movements, Independent, 1 January 2021
Covid-19 learns from experience – unlike Boris Johnson and his crew. We are paying for their mistakes, Independent, 25 December 2020
There is more to fake news than Trump's lies. Real journalists are needed more than ever, Independent, 22 December 2020
Boris Johnson is as incompetent as General Haig at the Somme – the price is 50,000 unnecessary deaths this year, Independent, 18 December 2020
Johnson and his government are too incompetent and ignorant to deliver radical change post Brexit by Patrick Cockburn, Independent, 17 December 2020
Booming defiance towards Brussels hides the grim reality – English power is ebbing inside the British Isles, Independent, 12 December 2020
State sponsored assassinations in foreign countries are becoming the new norm – it is simply a form of gangsterism, Independent, 4 December 2020
Trump's worst crime must not be forgotten - ensuring the ethnic cleansing of Kurdish allies in Syria, Independent, 27 November 2020
America and Britain are the big losers on the world stage as they fail to control Covid, Independent, 20 November 2020
Robert Fisk had true independence of mind – which is why he angered governments and parts of the media, Independent, 14 November 2020
Trump's cult of personality will be badly damaged by defeat – even if his toxic politics march on, Independent, 6 November 2020
Trump's bid to stop the count risks turning America into an ‘illiberal democracy' like Turkey, Independent, 4 November 2020
Robert Fisk wasn't only a magnificent journalist, but a ‘historian of the present' who illuminated the world, Independent, 3 November 2020
America faces a ‘Gettysburg moment' – but even if defeated Trumpism will not vanish, Independent, 30 October 2020
Lockdown restrictions do not work because so many people secretly ignore them – and with good reason, Indcependent, 23 October 2020
When does incompetence turn into a crime? This is the question we should be asking as government fails again, Independent, 17 October 2020
Wars and pandemics produce the same sort of lethal government bungling, Independent, 10 October 2020
The next Gaza Strip? Daily battle of survival for those left in Idlib, Independent, 7 October 2020
The Assange extradition case is an unprecedented attack on press freedom – so why's the media largely ignoring it?, Independent, 3 October 2020
Britain will seek coronavirus ‘herd immunity' covertly or by default - thanks to the failure of lockdown, Independent, 25 September 2020
Boris Johnson is failing so badly because he still thinks like a newspaper columnist – a disastrous weakness during this crisis, Independent, 18 September 2020
America's war on terror that folThe Assange extradition case is an unprecedented attack on press freedom – so why's the media largely ignoring it? by Patrick Cockburn, Independent, 3 October 2020
Americas war on terror that followed 9/11 has displaced 37 million people – this is the true cause of Europe's refugee crisis, Independent, 11 September 2020
Trump’s opponents need to take his patriotic card away and portray him as the true enemy of the nation – it can be done, Independent, 4 September 2020