Patrick Cockburn
Patrick Cockburn is a veteran Irish journalist who has covered Iraq, Syria and the wider Middle East for over four decades, first as Middle East correspondent for the Financial Times, then for The Independent from 1990 to 2022, and since then for the i Paper. He also contributes to the London Review of Books and CounterPunch, and is the author of several books on Iraq and the rise of ISIS. He reads the wars as a reporter drawing on deep on-the-ground sourcing rather than as an ideologue, consistently skeptical of Western military intervention and its official narratives.
Where they stand
A short read of where Patrick Cockburn lands on each front we follow, drawn from their recent appearances and refreshed whenever they turn up in a debrief.
Iran
Six months of US bombing have left Iran in a stronger military position, not a weaker one, and there is no sign Washington can end the war. The Strait of Hormuz is Iran’s "ace of trumps", and the American bases built across the Gulf now function as targets Iran can reach.
as of 2026-08-30
Recent appearances
Six months of war: Iran stronger, not weaker
Tom Switzer · 2026-08-30