L.A.Time reports (h/t David Kramer, LRC) some sad news:

“Alexander Cockburn, the leftist journalist, has died. The 71-year-old had been living in Berlin and fighting cancer.

Cockburn was the co-editor with Jeffrey St. Clair of the political newsletter Counterpunch. On the publication’s blog, St. Clair writes, “Alex kept his illness a tightly guarded secret. Only a handful of us knew how terribly sick he truly was. He didn’t want the disease to define him. He didn’t want his friends and readers to shower him with sympathy.” Cockburn was a dedicated leftist; St. Clair described him as “friend and comrade.”

Jeff St. Clair describes him writing and publishing right through chemotherapy until the end.

This is really too bad.  I used to write quite a bit for Counterpunch, but stopped during the financial crisis, because I felt my views on economics weren’t in synch with theirs. But I’ve never stopped reading their combative and committed writing.  Both were good friends of India, as well. And both collaborated successfully on some of the most seminal works on propaganda and intelligence.

As long back as I can remember Alex  Cockburn defined smart, rowdy journalism, not afraid to roll up its sleeves and sock it to them, but always with wit and panache.  He will be sorely missed.