Jonathan Cook: Media Control and Geopolitics 101
Media Control and Geopolitics 101
[Image: a composite of the banner from Mr. Cook’s website, and his portrait published there. The cityscape is Nazareth.]
Publication date: 2022-07-11
Jonathan Cook worked in the British press from 1994 to 2001. He was a staff journalist for the The Guardian and The Observer. His tertiary education includes an Honors in Philosophy and Politics for his Bachelor or Arts degree, a postgraduate diploma in Journalism and a Master of Arts in Middle Eastern Studies.
In 2001 Mr. Cook moved to Nazareth, Israel/Palestine. He continued to contribute to The Guardian, wrote 3 books, and was awarded the Martha Gellhorn Special Award for Journalism in 2011 for his continued coverage of the conflict between Israel and her Palestinian native population. The award set Jonathan beside an array of brilliant journalists including Robert Parry, Iona Craig, Gareth Porter, Julian Assange, Robert Fisk, and Patrick Cockburn. He returned to the UK in 2021.
Inspiration in Three Parts
Mr. Cook has recently set his gaze increasingly upon Geopolitics. A two part series examines state influence over western media, the second of which is a masterpiece. Instead of resting on his laurels his next major article expresses succinctly a collection of concepts this author has been covering for a year. Rather than being jealous or angry, one can only read in awe.
The clarity of expression, narrative flow and span of concepts included are an inspiration. If you have only time for one article, please read "By making China the enemy, Nato is threatening world peace".
Against A Darker Background
Mr Cook's excellent analysis lays a foundation for understanding current events and movement. Despite the NATO near declaration of war against China, some realists appear to be applying influence. The Military Industrial Complex, or MICIMATT to use a Ray McGovern term, have profited heavily from the insanity of pumping weapons into Ukraine, instead of pursuing a diplomatic solution. National military stocks have dwindled and require re-stocking, so profits will continue for some time. The fundamental purpose has been achieved for the blood of tens of thousands of Ukrainian soldiers.
With the USA economy and its people in some stress, the November mid-term elections are likely to provide political backlash. The approaching disaster in Europe as winter arrives will dwarf the USA experience. Prime Minister BoJo is exiting stage left, Macron's party received a thumping in their recent elections, and Germany's Chancellor Scholz will suffer the ire of German industry and an increasingly unemployed population. This to say nothing of the looming food crisis being alarmed across Europe, from Poland to Spain, by protesting farmers.
These upcoming sufferings seem to have forced the war mongers to lower their sights on China. The anti-Russian rhetoric continues with former Supreme Commander of NATO in Europe, General Breedlove suggesting that the Kerch Straight Bridge between Russia and Crimea is a "legitimate military target". Meanwhile, the la-la land of blaming Russia for Europe's energy problems continue floating on the hot air of fantasy. The Nordstream 2 pipeline was scuppered by USA influence on Germany, and the Nordstream 1 gas turbines being repaired in Canada 4+ weeks ago have only just been released to be returned to Russia via Germany, again USA pressure. Meanwhile, France’s Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire is proposing cuts to selected businesses and floating platforms to re-gas LNG imports as though this can be done in a month or two.
At the foreign minister’s meeting which precedes the upcoming G20 summit, the G7 group aborted collective photographs and communal dinners expressing distain for Russia. Meanwhile, China’s Wang Yi was holding bilateral talks with an astonishing array of other nations.
The consequences of these converging emergencies of energy and food shortage were recently, aptly demonstrated in Sri Lanka.
Storming a presidential palace does not solve either crisis but certainly informs the political leadership of ones feelings. Predicting that winter protests in Europe will be more peaceful may prove premature.
Sources
Media Control
British ‘watchdog’ journalists unmasked as lap dogs for the security state, Jonathan Cook, his website, 2022-06-21
How spooks and the establishment media are circling the wagons, Jonathan Cook, his website, 2022-06-30
Geopolitics 101
By making China the enemy, Nato is threatening world peace, Jonathan Cook, his website, 2022-07-08
General
India’s takeaways from Bali ministerial, M. K. BHADRAKUMAR, Indian Punchline, 2022-07-11
Lavrov scolds G7 leaders, Putin's speech signals the end of neoliberal world order, Alex Christoforou and Alexander Mercouris, The Duran, 2022-07-10
Scheeer Intelligence: Patrick Lawrence - Can the U.S. handle a multi-polar world?, Robert Scheer interviews Patrick Lawrence, ScheerPost’s youtube channel, 2022-06-12
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