https://znetwork.org/author/markcurtis/ Independent Left News, Analysis, Vision and Strategy Thu, 22 Jan 2026 03:32:49 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://znetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/cropped-Z_logo_512-32x32.png https://znetwork.org/author/markcurtis/ 32 32 https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/us-aggression-uk-support-the-special-relationship/ https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/us-aggression-uk-support-the-special-relationship/#respond Thu, 22 Jan 2026 16:48:00 +0000 https://znetwork.org/?post_type=znetarticle&p=1293778 Forty years ago, US warplanes bombed Libya, attempting to assassinate its leader Muammar Gaddafi. Failing in that task, they managed to kill dozens of civilians in Tripoli, Libya’s capital. The attacks, which were in response to the bombing of a Berlin nightclub blamed on Gaddafi, were strongly supported by Margaret Thatcher’s government. Indeed, she allowed [...]]]> https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/us-aggression-uk-support-the-special-relationship/feed/ 0 https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/when-tony-blair-agreed-to-back-terrorists/ https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/when-tony-blair-agreed-to-back-terrorists/#respond Sat, 20 Sep 2025 14:53:25 +0000 https://znetwork.org/?post_type=znetarticle&p=1288801 On 28 April 1999, prime minister Tony Blair’s adviser John Sawers wrote a memo to his boss proposing a change in UK policy towards the war in Kosovo. Sawers said the UK should give “practical help” to the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA), the militia force that was fighting Serbians in Kosovo allied to Slobodan Milosevic’s [...]]]> https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/when-tony-blair-agreed-to-back-terrorists/feed/ 0 https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/britain-wants-ukraines-minerals-too/ https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/britain-wants-ukraines-minerals-too/#respond Thu, 13 Mar 2025 15:55:00 +0000 https://znetwork.org/?post_type=znetarticle&p=1280984 When UK officials signed a 100 year partnership with Ukraine in mid-January, they claimed to be Ukraine’s “preferred partner” in developing the country’s “critical minerals strategy”. Yet within a month, Donald Trump had presented a proposal to Ukraine’s President Volodymr Zelensky to access the country’s vast mineral resources as “compensation” for US support to Ukraine in the [...]]]> https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/britain-wants-ukraines-minerals-too/feed/ 0 https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/keir-starmers-plan-for-uk-growth-the-ukraine-war/ https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/keir-starmers-plan-for-uk-growth-the-ukraine-war/#respond Thu, 27 Feb 2025 16:48:00 +0000 https://znetwork.org/?post_type=znetarticle&p=1280341 Wars can be useful to governments, and the horrendous conflict in Ukraine is so proving.  In his announcement of increases in UK military spending, Keir Starmer strongly referenced Ukraine and the threat from Russia and said the new “investment” will “create a secure and stable environment in which businesses can thrive, supporting the Government’s number [...]]]> https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/keir-starmers-plan-for-uk-growth-the-ukraine-war/feed/ 0 https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/the-chagos-islands-were-never-britains-to-give-away/ https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/the-chagos-islands-were-never-britains-to-give-away/#respond Thu, 13 Feb 2025 16:50:00 +0000 https://znetwork.org/?post_type=znetarticle&p=1279679 Nigel Farage and the Conservatives are having a meltdown about Britain ‘giving up sovereignty’ of illegally occupied land. Britain’s foreign secretary David Lammy will this week meet his new US counterpart, Marco Rubio, to rescue Labour’s plan for the joint UK-US military base on the Chagos Islands. The Trump administration appears to be challenging the [...]]]> https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/the-chagos-islands-were-never-britains-to-give-away/feed/ 0 https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/national-scandal-the-bbcs-gaza-cover-up/ https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/national-scandal-the-bbcs-gaza-cover-up/#respond Thu, 16 Jan 2025 16:55:00 +0000 https://znetwork.org/?post_type=znetarticle&p=1278518 The BBC is failing to report the various ways in which the UK government has supported Israel’s brutal war on Gaza, Declassified’s new analysis finds.  Our research into the BBC’s written outputs since October 2023 finds the corporation has mainly not reported at all the major ways the UK government has been working with Israel.   [...]]]> https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/national-scandal-the-bbcs-gaza-cover-up/feed/ 0 https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/good-and-bad-war-criminals/ https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/good-and-bad-war-criminals/#respond Wed, 25 Dec 2024 18:36:00 +0000 https://znetwork.org/?post_type=znetarticle&p=1277586 Very little is known about Operation Tango, a secret SAS mission to capture suspected war criminals in Bosnia in 1997. It was one of several clandestine special forces missions ordered by Tony Blair’s government in support of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia.  This had been set up in 1993 to try suspects for gruesome [...]]]> https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/good-and-bad-war-criminals/feed/ 0 https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/when-britain-aided-al-qaeda-in-syria/ https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/when-britain-aided-al-qaeda-in-syria/#respond Fri, 20 Dec 2024 16:21:54 +0000 https://znetwork.org/?post_type=znetarticle&p=1277359 Beginning in 2011, Britain embarked on a campaign to overthrow the Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria, in cooperation with its key allies the U.S., Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey.  Military training and weapons were given to armed opposition forces who were often collaborating with jihadist groups, in effect supporting and empowering them. One major beneficiary [...]]]> https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/when-britain-aided-al-qaeda-in-syria/feed/ 0 https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/mark-curtis-pays-tribute-to-the-journalism-and-film-making-of-the-late-john-pilger/ https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/mark-curtis-pays-tribute-to-the-journalism-and-film-making-of-the-late-john-pilger/#comments Thu, 05 Sep 2024 15:45:00 +0000 https://znetwork.org/?post_type=znetarticle&p=1271918 “A giant of journalism” was how Britain’s National Union of Journalists described John Pilger on his death in December 2023. And a giant he was – a brave and prolific film-maker and a brilliant reporter, with a rare gift for vivid, descriptive writing. But his greatest gift perhaps was in ‘lifting rocks’. In his dozens [...]]]> https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/mark-curtis-pays-tribute-to-the-journalism-and-film-making-of-the-late-john-pilger/feed/ 1 https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/amber-de-botton-from-downing-street-to-the-guardian/ https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/amber-de-botton-from-downing-street-to-the-guardian/#respond Sat, 24 Aug 2024 15:45:00 +0000 https://znetwork.org/?post_type=znetarticle&p=1271306 “Our quality, investigative journalism is a scrutinising force at a time when the rich and powerful are getting away with more and more”, says the Guardian in a fundraising plea to its readers. So why has the paper recently appointed Amber de Botton, Rishi Sunak’s former director of communications, as its new chief communications officer? Would Declassified employ a [...]]]> https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/amber-de-botton-from-downing-street-to-the-guardian/feed/ 0 https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/icc-must-investigate-british-ministers-for-complicity-in-gaza-war-crimes/ https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/icc-must-investigate-british-ministers-for-complicity-in-gaza-war-crimes/#respond Thu, 23 May 2024 15:54:00 +0000 https://znetwork.org/?post_type=znetarticle&p=1266838 Now the International Criminal Court is seeking to issue an arrest warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu, it must investigate his accomplices in the British government. Seven British ministers –  including Rishi Sunak, David Cameron, Grant Shapps and Kemi Badenoch – must be investigated for aiding Israel With the ICC’s chief prosecutor issuing an application for an [...]]]> https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/icc-must-investigate-british-ministers-for-complicity-in-gaza-war-crimes/feed/ 0 https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/uk-allows-key-hamas-funder-to-have-military-base-in-northern-england/ https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/uk-allows-key-hamas-funder-to-have-military-base-in-northern-england/#respond Thu, 12 Oct 2023 15:52:00 +0000 https://znetwork.org/?post_type=znetarticle&p=1255640 The British government says it ‘stands by Israel’ and condemns Hamas ‘terrorism’ against it. But Hamas is being funded by Qatar, with whom the Royal Air Force operates two joint squadrons, allowing the Gulf regime to have a military base in northern England. As Gaza continues to endure all-out war, UK ministers have been lining [...]]]> https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/uk-allows-key-hamas-funder-to-have-military-base-in-northern-england/feed/ 0 https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/how-bps-interests-drive-uk-support-for-wars-coups-and-dictators/ https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/how-bps-interests-drive-uk-support-for-wars-coups-and-dictators/#respond Thu, 03 Aug 2023 15:46:00 +0000 https://znetwork.org/?post_type=znetarticle&p=1250348 The Foreign Office is largely captured by global climate polluter BP.  From Iran to Azerbaijan, Iraq to Nigeria, Russia to Venezuela, the UK prioritises the corporation’s profits over a decent foreign policy. Declassified recently revealed that BP has pumped Iraqi oil worth £15bn since the UK and US militaries invaded the country in 2003. Governments in London and [...]]]> https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/how-bps-interests-drive-uk-support-for-wars-coups-and-dictators/feed/ 0 https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/business-over-apartheid-when-thatcher-met-mandela/ https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/business-over-apartheid-when-thatcher-met-mandela/#respond Wed, 07 Jun 2023 16:12:00 +0000 British officials feared Nelson Mandela would nationalise South Africa’s economy and lobbied him to protect British commercial interests as soon as he gained freedom. The UK’s Foreign Office set out to “educate” the African leader with “sensible” economic policies and to counter “the absurdity of nationalisation”, declassified files show. British fears were sparked one month [...]]]> https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/business-over-apartheid-when-thatcher-met-mandela/feed/ 0 https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/britains-secret-support-for-us-aggression-the-vietnam-war-by-mark-curtis/ https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/britains-secret-support-for-us-aggression-the-vietnam-war-by-mark-curtis/#respond https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/britains-secret-support-for-us-aggression-the-vietnam-war-by-mark-curtis/feed/ 0 https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/deepening-corporate-globalization-by-mark-curtis/ https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/deepening-corporate-globalization-by-mark-curtis/#respond https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/deepening-corporate-globalization-by-mark-curtis/feed/ 0 https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/their-right-to-return-by-mark-curtis/ https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/their-right-to-return-by-mark-curtis/#respond Wed, 09 Nov 2005 05:00:00 +0000 https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/their-right-to-return-by-mark-curtis/feed/ 0 https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/murderous-policy-by-mark-curtis/ https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/murderous-policy-by-mark-curtis/#respond Thu, 06 Oct 2005 05:00:00 +0000 https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/murderous-policy-by-mark-curtis/feed/ 0 https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/how-the-g8-lied-to-the-world-on-aid-by-mark-curtis/ https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/how-the-g8-lied-to-the-world-on-aid-by-mark-curtis/#respond Tue, 23 Aug 2005 04:00:00 +0000 https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/how-the-g8-lied-to-the-world-on-aid-by-mark-curtis/feed/ 0 https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/browns-doleful-role-at-gleneagles-by-mark-curtis/ https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/browns-doleful-role-at-gleneagles-by-mark-curtis/#respond Sun, 10 Jul 2005 04:00:00 +0000 https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/browns-doleful-role-at-gleneagles-by-mark-curtis/feed/ 0 https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/britain-and-africa-the-new-propaganda-by-mark-curtis/ https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/britain-and-africa-the-new-propaganda-by-mark-curtis/#respond Mon, 21 Mar 2005 05:00:00 +0000 https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/britain-and-africa-the-new-propaganda-by-mark-curtis/feed/ 0 https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/rogue-state-britain-by-mark-curtis/ https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/rogue-state-britain-by-mark-curtis/#respond Mon, 21 Mar 2005 05:00:00 +0000 https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/rogue-state-britain-by-mark-curtis/feed/ 0 https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/no-place-to-call-home-by-mark-curtis/ https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/no-place-to-call-home-by-mark-curtis/#respond Mon, 13 Oct 2003 05:00:00 +0000 https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/no-place-to-call-home-by-mark-curtis/feed/ 0 https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/as-british-as-afternoon-tea-by-mark-curtis/ https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/as-british-as-afternoon-tea-by-mark-curtis/#respond Wed, 21 May 2003 05:00:00 +0000 https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/as-british-as-afternoon-tea-by-mark-curtis/feed/ 0 https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/partners-in-imperialism-by-mark-curtis/ https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/partners-in-imperialism-by-mark-curtis/#respond Sat, 10 May 2003 04:00:00 +0000 https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/partners-in-imperialism-by-mark-curtis/feed/ 0 https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/us-and-british-complicity-in-indonesia-1965-by-mark-curtis/ https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/us-and-british-complicity-in-indonesia-1965-by-mark-curtis/#respond Mon, 21 Oct 2002 04:00:00 +0000 https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/us-and-british-complicity-in-indonesia-1965-by-mark-curtis/feed/ 0 https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/blair-jaw-jaw-by-mark-curtis/ https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/blair-jaw-jaw-by-mark-curtis/#respond Thu, 10 Oct 2002 05:00:00 +0000 https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/blair-jaw-jaw-by-mark-curtis/feed/ 0