Meeting requests : Who are the analysts? [Updated many times]
Who are the analysts?
[Image: Noam Chomsky on The Chris Hedges Report, as published 2022-10-21.]
Publication date: 2021-09-10
Updated: 2021-09-11, 9 more sources added.
Updated: 2021-09-13, 2 more sources added.
Updated: 2021-09-17, added RT to balance CNN and BBC.
Updated: 2021-11-06, added Regis Tremblay.
Updated: 2021-12-30, 2 more sources added.
Updated: 2022-01-10, 1 more source added.
Updated: 2022-01-17, 1 more source added.
Updated: 2022-02-21, added Glenn Diesen.
Updated: 2022-05-17, added Patrick Lawrence.
Updated: 2022-05-28, added Alex Christoforou.
Updated: 2022-08-14, added Gilbert Doctorow, M. K. Bhadrakumar and George Szamuely
Updated: 2022-10-22, I am embarrassed to so tardily add Noam Chomsky.
One of my respected associates, even older than I, has asked for a list of the geopolitical analysts that I consult. Here follows this singular response to a request.
The "list" will be updated over time, as I see fit, and only when I find new thoughtful contributors. Note that this is all subjective and I've only really been doing this for a decade or less. No disrespect to your list.
The obvious caveat is that I regularly disagree with every single one of these analysts. This is not a love cat fest, but a challenge.
Categorization
Each entry will be with a name, then a "how I see them" blurb, then a categorization of the scope of analysis, a global geopolitical analyst, or (inclusive) a regional geopolitical analyst. If the second is listed, I'll name what I see as their regional expertise.
Finally, I provide the primary publication source(s) from which I imbibe their analyses.
ANALYSTS
No particular order of quality or region is implied.
James Corbett
A Canadian English literature graduate from a Dublin University found himself red pilled by seeing the so many holes in 9/11 and just kept going. A deep thinker about history and of disparate power mechanisms’ influence over how we view it.
Level: Global
Source: https://www.corbettreport.com
Pepe Escobar
A slippery fish of Brazilian origin with a global view who has spent so many a year in south-east Asia and traveled inwards to central Asia. Those travels have enchanted him, and his readings of ancient texts give a bite to his writings.
Level: Global, Regional (central Asia)
Source: https://www.unz.com/author/pepe-escobar/
Andrei Martyanov
A former Russian naval commander who emigrated to the "west" at the dissolution of the USSR.
Level: Regional (USSR and former republics), but also global in the dumb-shit, relentless persistent USA push for any enemy to fund their military industrial complex
Source: https://smoothiex12.blogspot.com/
Ray McGovern
A 27 year CIA (Russia Desk) analyst who delivered the Presidential Daily Brief for Presidents and formed Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity.
Level: Global, and Regional (anything to do with Russia and/or USA)
Source: https://www.raymcgovern.com, https://www.consortiumnews.com, https://original.antiwar.com
Alexander Mercouris
Greek born British lawyer with a deep interest in history, and unsurprisingly justice. His videos largely focus on deconstructing diplomatic publications, at which he is most excellent.
Level: Global
Source: https://www.youtube.com/c/AlexanderMercourisReal/videos
Natylie Baldwin
An observer of Russian action and diplomacy. Rarely authors material, but a reliable re-publisher of interesting material from other authors on Russian affairs.
Level: Regional (Russian)
Source: http://natyliesbaldwin.com
CNN
A commercial interest funded global media network which promotes the USA empire.
Level: Global
Source: XXXXXXXX
Richard Medhurst
A Syrian/British citizen with a strong anti-imperialist bent. Fluent in Arabic, English, German and French because of life experience in those countries, he is able to comment upon differing international events with authenticity.
Level: Regional (middle east), and some Global
Source: https://www.youtube.com/c/RichardMedhurst/videos
Anatol Lieven
A calm and penetrating analyst on anything to do with Russia, especially in its overlapping interests with eastern Europe.
Update: Since Russia’s Special Military Operation in Ukraine, Mr. Lieven has shown his unwillingness to step too far outside established narrative, which is disappointing, and reduces his stature. This is understandable. He wishes to feed his family. It is also a departure from his previously balanced positions.
Level: Regional (Russia/Eastern Europe)
Source: https://responsiblestatecraft.org/author/alieven/
John Pilger
A journalist of the old school who has been declaring the horrific truth for five decades and making films documenting it.
Level: Global
Source: http://johnpilger.com/
Lawrence Wilkerson
Former chief of staff to Colin Powell. A sensible voice on USA foreign policy.
Level: Regional (USA) and Global
Source: Various. https://www.theAnalysis.news is a common publisher of interviews, but elsewhere too.
RT
A Russian Federation state funded media outlet (ab)using the internet to counter anti-Russian propaganda, and push Russia’s own. But, it does have, and has had, many an interesting program and commentator. It was a sole outlet for many alternative USA voices on the politics of their nation, and is valuable for Russian voices advocating their own (often nationally aligned, but not always) narratives.
Level: Global and Regional (Russia, Eastern Europe, Central Asia)
Source: XXXXXXX
Tony Kevin
A former Australian diplomat who has visited Russia repeatedly and has now published two (I think) books. His publications are rare, but insightful.
Level: Regional (Australia, Russia, SE Asia) and Global
Source: consortiumnews.com and johnmenadue.com
Scott Ritter
Ritter is a former USA Marine Corp intelligence officer who was then involved in the UNSCOM mission to verify that there were no ‘weapons of mass destruction’ in Iraq before the USA/UK invasion in 2003.
Level: USA Foreign policy, with expertise in armed conflict and the way in which the USA military thinks and operates
Source: www.scottritterextra.com, consortiumnews.com and rt.com
James Carden
A bit of a mystery, as I’ve only recently found him. He’s a part of the emerging US policy establishment advising against the endemic “russians are evil and mad, Putin tripely so” idiocy. He’s a thoughtful analyst.
Level: Regional/Global (Russia, US)
Source: usrussiaaccord.org
Nicolai N. Petro
“Nicolai N. Petro is the Silvia-Chandley Professor of Peace Studies and Nonviolence and Professor of Political Science at the University of Rhode Island” (Quote from his website). I just think he is a well informed academic. Far too cautious in his words from my point of view, but that’s what academics do. He is damn well informed.
Level: Regional (Russia/Eastern Europe)
Source: npetro.net and usrussiaaccord.org
Paul R. Pillar
An USA ex-intelligence professional. I think it was pre 9/11 that he lost the haze for the reliability of the USA’s intelligence agencies. Whatever. He is well informed and calls his stuff.
Source: various places, recently responsiblestatecraft.com
Paul Craig Roberts
A rabid conservative/libertarian who was a part of the inner workings of the USA government, had very high clearance and calls what he sees based on knowledge rather than opinion or guesswork.
Level: Regional (USA) and Global
Source: paulcraigroberts.org and other publications such as unz.com
Michael Hudson
Michael is a Distinguished Research Professor of Economics at a few USA universities. An old guy who's seen more rubbish than he cares for and presents a fairly radical economic analysis.
Level: Global (geo-economics)
Source: unz.com and geopoliticaleconomy.com
F. William Engdahl
Engdahl is a wild horse who crosses numerous topics but with well argued and cited articles. I may agree with him even less than many of the above, but he forces me to think.
Level: Regional (roving all over the place) and Global
Source: williamengdahl.com also often published at journal-neo.org
Julian Assange and Wikileaks
Well, you know. That level of access to unpublished leaks …. Whatever, when he could actually communicate with the world his analysis was both deep and playful.
Level: Global
Source: wikileaks.org
BBC
The military intelligence and politically influenced mouthpiece for the other part of the anglo-american empire.
Level: Global
Source: XXXXXXX
Chris Hedges
A award winning journalist who spent much time in war zones from central america in the 80’s to the middle east, including Israel/Gaza during the first intifada, to eastern Europe during the period before and after the fall of the Berlin Wall. He is an ordained Christian (Presbyterian) priest, an author of many many books, and a philosopher on the structure of society and its power dynamics.
Level: Regional (USA) and Global
Source: weekly article at scheerpost.com and his newsletter at substack and video show on RT “On Contact”. “On Contact” was detonated with the rest of RT America. His weekly video “The Chris Hedges Report” is now produced by The Real News.
Alfred McCoy
A professor of history whose Ph.D thesis or first book (or both) was on the CIA drug trade during the USA-Vietnam war. Publishes rarely, but always worth reading.
Level: Regional (USA) and Global
Source: various but often at tomdispatch.com
Regis Tremblay
Regis is not so much an analyst as an interviewer. He produces a video “show” called Global Conversations in which he interviews a wide variety of people usually arguing from positions outside of accepted narratives. I certainly dont agree with all of them, or even point-by-point with any of them, but they are interesting interviewees. Regis was born in the USA but now lives in Yalta, Crimea. His interviews often focus on international affairs from a Russia perspective.
Production is usually around one or two videos a week, usually from 40 minutes to an hour.
Level: Global
Source: https://rumble.com/user/tremregi
Gareth Porter
Gareth Porter is a veteran journalists. His focus is USA foreign policy, and particularly in the middle east over the last two decades. His speciality is Iran.
Level: Middle East
Source: publishes at antiwar.com and The Grayzone.
Scott Horton
Scott Horton founded the Libertarian Institute, is the Editor in Chief for Anti-War.com, is an author and a radio host. He interviews many guests with interesting and usually well informed opinions.
Level: Global, with a focus on USA military and foreign policy
Source: Antiwar.com and Scott Horton Radio.
Paul Robinson
Paul is a Professor in the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs and the Vice Dean of Graduate Studies at the University of Ottawa. He is also a member of several foreign policy advisory organisations. Some of this schooling was in Soviet Russia. His speciality is Russia and relations between Russia and the “west”.
Level: Global, with a focus of Russia and Western geopolitical interaction
Source: His newletter is at irrussianality.wordpress.com, and RT often publishes op-eds by him. UPDATE: Paul has stopped publishing opinion at his blog, or elsewhere. The blog provides links to articles, often a Canadian Dimesion, or public appearances.
Glenn Diesen
Glenn is a Professor at the University of Southern Norway at the School of Business specializing in Russian economics and history. He is becoming the leading English speaking analyst of the Chinese/Russian BRI/EAEU project to integrate economically through trade, transport and financial institutions the greater Eurasian landmass as foreseen by Mackinder over a century ago.
Level: Global, with a focus of Russia and Western geopolitical interaction
Source: His written works are largely academic. He occasionally provides interviews on RT or longer ones on Regis Tremblay’s Global Conversations. He has become a regular host on The Duran (https://www.youtube.com/@TheDuran/videos).
Patrick Lawrence
Consortium News describes Patrick thus
Patrick Lawrence, a correspondent abroad for many years, chiefly for the International Herald Tribune, is a columnist, essayist, author and lecturer.
Level: Global, with a focus on USA and European affairs.
Source: Patrick publishes his work at his website. His articles are often published at Consortium News.
Alex Christoforou
Christoforou is a greek Cypriot who publishes video reports on recent geopolitical events. He joined Alexander Mercouris to form The Duran.
Level: Global, focusing on east/west or us/them divides and the intolerable idiocy and the ineptitude of political leaders.
Source: Alex publishes at his Rumble channel.
Gilbert Doctorow
Doctorow is a Harvard graduate who spent time in Russia during the late 1990’s and early 2000’s working in various industries. He speaks both Russian and English (and French and Flemish), and has an interest in relations between Russia and “the west” (both the USA and Europe). He is a published author.
Level: Global, but particularly focussed on Russia/West relations
Source: his website. Doctorow appears on Russian radio and Iranian state TV as a commentator.
M. K. Bhadrakumar
Bhadrakumar is a retired Indian career diplomat. His interest stems from his love of his country and is based on his multi-decade experience as a high level diplomat. Thus, his commentary though focussed in the geographic environs of south Asia also ranges globally as India maintains relations in fora such as BRICS and the SCO.
Level: Global, though with a focus on south Asia
Source: his website.
George Szamuely
Szamuely is a Hungarian academic historian with a particular interest in Eastern Europe. He published an acclaimed book on the 1999 conflict in Yugoslavia “Bombs for Peace”.
Level: Europe, particularly eastern Europe, though this becomes global as major powers conflict there.
Source: his newsletter, and The Gaggle, a podcast with Peter Lavelle.
Vijay Prashad
Vijay is an historian, author, editor and activist by word. He is an executive-director of the“Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research” and the chief editor of LeftWord books. He syndicates his articles through Globetrotter Media and his articles appear in many publications. He is a socialist, which includes all stripes thereof: anti-war, equality etc..
Vijay is not so much an analyst as an historian. He documents what is occurring or has occurred. He writes beautifully, and is rigorous is citing documents and the names of people with whom he converses and then quotes in his articles. He does offer analysis too, though often over broader periods of time than many.
Level: Global
Source: Counter Punch, Consortium News and others.
Noam Chomsky
Adding this entry so late is a serious failure. Perhaps I assumed that everyone knew of the importance of this analyst?
Professor Chomsky has been a leading, non-partisan intellectual on more topics than are countable. So penetrating is his honest analysis that he is banned from his nation’s national media. His work with Herman in “Manufacturing Consent” is the fundament of media analysis in the modern era, and that is just one of his 150+ publications.
Level: Global
Sources: Almost impossible. He is interviewed on various independent media channels. His voice is available in his books. This is no error. He is a linguist.
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Note: a broken link for Michael Hudson. It was pretty easy for me to figure out what it should have been, but it should be fixed, nevertheless.