Mr. Cockburn, no more lies

To:  The Nation

We, the undersigned, request an immediate retraction and an apology from Mr. Alexander Cockburn and "The National" magazine for the article "Myth, Meth and the Georgian Invasion" published in "The National" August 31/September 7, 2009 Double issue edition. The facts Mr. Cockburn presented in the article were false and slanderous. The sources used were lacking in credibility. It is appalling that a magazine of such standing as “The National” would print such an article without a proper verification of the facts presented.
The number of deaths indicated by Mr. Cockburn (1492) is false. According to the International Crisis Group “Russia claimed 133 civilians and 64 Russian soldiers were killed, while Georgia says their dead number in the several hundred.” His claim that “There was never any serious doubt that Saakashvili, with covert US encouragement and military training and kindred assistance, started the war,” is also false. There is evidence presented to Ms. Heidi Tagliavini, the head of an international fact-finding mission, in regards to phone calls that were intercepted between South Ossetian and Russian groups that indicate the mobilization of Russian troops long before the Georgian army was mobilized. (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124942147071505841.html)
The completely unfounded statement that Georgian soldiers “butchered their victims with great brutality” is shocking and disturbing without any sources to indicate the facts behind such statements. His report that Rep. Dana Rohrabacher was a voice of sanity is disturbing as Mr. Rohrabacher claimed that his information had come from “unidentified intelligence sources.” (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/russia/2827424/Rebel-Republican-congressman-Dana-Rohrabacher-backs-Russia-over-Georgia.html)
We believe that Mr. Cockburn ignored his journalistic duty and responsibility to the public of this country in providing true and unbiased facts with verified and credible sources. We believe that “The National” ignored their responsibility and duty to the public of this country in publishing such a slanderous and damaging article.

Sincerely,

The Undersigned

The Mr. Cockburn, no more lies Petition to The Nation was created by and written by Ekaterina Martin (egmartin@gmail.com).  This petition is hosted here at www.PetitionOnline.com as a public service. There is no endorsement of this petition, express or implied, by Artifice, Inc. or our sponsors. For technical support please use our simple Petition Help form.