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Patrick Cockburn

    Patrick Cockburn is an Irish journalist whose reporting from the Middle East offers profound insights into the region's complex political and social dynamics. He delves into the historical roots of contemporary conflicts, providing a nuanced understanding of the forces at play. Cockburn's approach is marked by meticulous research and an ability to uncover hidden connections, offering readers a penetrating look at the events shaping the Middle East. His work is characterized by sharp observation and a commitment to understanding the human stories at the heart of major geopolitical shifts.

    The Occupation: War and Resistance in Iraq
    Behind Enemy Lies
    Out of the Ashes
    War In The Age of Trump
    The age of jihad : Islamic State and the great war for the Middle East
    Muqtada al-Sadr and the Fall of Iraq
    • 2024

      Believe Nothing until It Is Officially Denied

      Claud Cockburn and the Invention of Guerrilla Journalism

      • 320 pages
      • 12 hours of reading

      Focusing on the remarkable journey of a journalist who challenged the status quo, this biography delves into the life and work of a figure whose fearless reporting reshaped public discourse. It highlights their commitment to truth in the face of adversity, exploring key events that defined their career and the impact of their writings on society. Through personal anecdotes and historical context, the narrative captures the essence of a revolutionary spirit that continues to inspire future generations of journalists.

      Believe Nothing until It Is Officially Denied
    • 2021

      A journalistic account of Trump's wars in the Middle East from a highly acclaimed journalist who has been reporting on the area for decadesIn this urgent and timely book, Patrick Cockburn writes the first draft of the history of the current crisis in the Middle East. Here he charts the period from the recapture of Mosul in 2017 to Turkey's attack on Kurdish territory in November 2019, and recounts the new phase in the wars of disintegration that have plagued the region, leading to the assassination of Iranian General Sulemani.Cockburn offers panoramic on-the-ground analysis as well as a lifetime's study of the region. As author of The Rise of Islamic State , and the Age of Jihad , he has proved to be leading, critical commentator of US intervention and the chaos it has wrecked/ And here he shows how, since Trump entered the White House promising an end to the Forever War, peace appears a distant possibility with the continuation of conflict in Syria, Saudi Arabia's violent intervention in the Yemen, the fall of the Kurds, riots in Baghdad, and the continued aggression towards Iran. While ISIS has been defeated, it is not clear whether it has disappeared from the region. Trump's policies has appeared to pour petrol on the flames, emboldening the other superpowers involved in the proxy wars. Following the collapse of the deal with Iran, and the threat of war crimes, is a new balance of power possible?

      Behind Enemy Lies
    • 2020

      War In The Age of Trump

      • 320 pages
      • 12 hours of reading

      Is the fall of ISIS the end of the perpetual war in the Middle East?In this urgent and timely book, Patrick Cockburn writes the first draft of the history of the current crisis in the Middle East. Here he charts the period from the recapture of Mosul in 2017 to Turkey’s attack on Kurdish territory in November 2019, and recounts the new phase in the wars of disintegration that have plagued the region. The ground battle with the caliphate is perhaps over, but was this the end of the conflict that has scarred these nations for decades?Cockburn offers panoramic on-the-ground analysis as well as a lifetime’s study of the region. And here he shows how peace appears a distant possibility with the continuation of conflict in Syria, Saudi Arabia’s violent intervention in the Yemen, riots in Baghdad and Tehran. At the same time, the rising aggression between Israel and Iran, the raising of stakes between the US, Russia and Turkey, shows that this remains the theatre of the proxy wars of the world’s superpowers. Has Trump abandoned the area for good, leaving a vacuum for others—Putin, Erdogan, Mohammed Bin Saud—to fill? He also looks at what might happen to the Islamic will it disappear now that it has lost its territory or emerge in a new form and with renewed violence?

      War In The Age of Trump
    • 2016

      From the award-winning author of The Rise of Islamic State, the essential story of the Middle East’s disintegration The Age of Jihad charts the turmoil of today’s Middle East and the devastating role the West has played in the region from 2001 to the present. Beginning with the US-led invasion of Afghanistan, Cockburn explores the vast geopolitical struggle that is the Sunni–Shia conflict, a clash that shapes the war on terror, western military interventions, the evolution of the insurgency, the civil wars in Yemen, Libya and Syria, the Arab Spring, the fall of regional dictators, and the rise of Islamic State. As Cockburn shows in arresting detail, Islamic State did not explode into existence in Syria in the wake of the Arab Spring, as conventional wisdom would have it. The organization gestated over several years in occupied Iraq, before growing to the point where it can threaten the stability of the whole region. Cockburn was the first Western journalist to warn of the dangers posed by Islamic State. His originality and breadth of vision make The Age of Jihad the most in-depth analysis of the regional crisis in the Middle East to date.

      The age of jihad : Islamic State and the great war for the Middle East
    • 2015

      The essential “on the ground” report on the fastest-growing new threat in the Middle East, from the winner of the 2014 Foreign Affairs Journalist of the Year Award Born of the Iraqi and Syrian civil wars, the Islamic State astonished the world in 2014 by creating a powerful new force in the Middle East. By combining religious fanaticism and military prowess, the new self-declared caliphate poses a threat to the political status quo of the whole region. In The Rise of Islamic State, Patrick Cockburn describes the conflicts behind a dramatic unraveling of US foreign policy. He shows how the West created the conditions for ISIS’s explosive success by stoking the war in Syria. The West—the US and NATO in particular—underestimated the militants’ potential until it was too late and failed to act against jihadi sponsors in Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan.

      The rise of Islamic state : ISIS and the new Sunni revolution
    • 2012
    • 2008

      The book delves into the complex figure of Muqtada al-Sadr, a pivotal player in Iraqi politics and a significant influence on the region's future. It explores his rise to prominence, the contrasting perceptions of his character, and the impact of his actions on U.S. involvement in Iraq. Through various perspectives, including those of prominent figures like Paul Bremer, the narrative examines al-Sadr's role in shaping political dynamics and his potential to affect broader Middle Eastern stability.

      Muqtada Al-Sadr and the Battle for the Future of Iraq (Expanded)
    • 2008

      Charts cleric, militia leader and fiercely anti-American politician Muqtada al-Sadr's rise to power, his links with Hizbullah and the Iranians; and his confrontation with the American and British military. This book presents first hand accounts of investigations into Muqtada. číst celé

      Muqtada al-Sadr and the Fall of Iraq
    • 2007

      The narrative explores profound themes of identity, belonging, and the complexities of human relationships through richly developed characters. Set against a backdrop of cultural and social challenges, the story weaves together personal struggles and broader societal issues, inviting readers to reflect on their own experiences. The author's insightful prose and evocative storytelling captivate audiences, making it a compelling read that resonates on multiple levels. Recognized as a National Book Critics' Circle Award Finalist, it showcases exceptional literary merit.

      The Occupation: War and Resistance in Iraq
    • 2006

      It is very easy to get polio. The celebrated Middle East correspondent Patrick Cockburn was just six years old when he woke up one day in the summer of 1956 with a headache and a sore throat. His parents, Claud and Patricia Cockburn, had recently returned to Ireland, to their house in East Cork, careless of the fact that a polio epidemic had broken out in Cork City. Cockburn caught the disease and was taken to the fever hospital where, alone for the first time in his life, he was kept in isolation. The virus attacks the nerves of the brain and the spinal cord leading to paralysis of the muscles. Patrick could no longer walk. The Broken Boy is at once a memoir of Patrick Cockburn's own experience of polio, a portrait of his parents, both prominent radicals, and the story of the Cork epidemic, the last great polio epidemic in the world, affecting 50,000 people. This terrible disease always behaved strangely, attacking the middle classes rather than the poor, children rather than adults, and striking fear everywhere.

      The Broken Boy