Pepe Escobar (born 1954) is a Brazilian journalist and geopolitical analyst.[1][2] His column "The Roving Eye" for Asia Times regularly discusses the multi-national "competition for dominance over the Middle East and Central Asia."[3] He has reported from Afghanistan and Pakistan, writing about Osama bin Laden before 9/11 and interviewing Afghan leader Ahmad Shah Massoud.
Escobar's concept of "Pipelineistan" refers to the network of oil and gas pipelines in crucial geopolitical regions, especially Central Asia. He suggests that Western actions in these areas are largely driven by a desire to reduce dependence on Russian energy and OPEC. This theory has faced criticism, particularly regarding its application to conflicts like the Syrian Civil War. Escobar's work has been scrutinized for its appearance in outlets identified by the U.S. State Department as part of Russia's disinformation network, such as RT and Sputnik News, raising questions about the potential propagation of Russian propaganda.
- ^ "Obama's Asia summit no-show: How it looks from over there". Mercury News. October 8, 2013. Retrieved August 30, 2021.
Most colorfully, Brazilian analyst Pepe Escobar compared China's 'offensive' in Southeast Asia to 'an accelerating Lamborghini Aventador,' in contrast to America's 'creaking Chevrolet.'
- ^ "Bernie Has Called to Free Lula. Why Won't the Rest of the Democratic Field?". Jacobin. October 22, 2019. Retrieved August 30, 2021.
The fact remains that, in the words of journalist and international relations analyst Pepe Escobar, 'Lula is Brazil's only possible factor of stability.'
- ^ Rosenthal, Steven J. (2010). "The US Foreign Policy and the Middle East". Policy Perspectives. 7 (1): 11–14. JSTOR 42909249. Retrieved August 29, 2021.
Brazilian journalist Pepe Escobar, who writes regularly for 'Asia Times Online,' has published highly informative articles and books on the global battles over what he has described as 'Pipelinestan.' With a wry and cynical sense of humor, his 'Roving Eye' has described the competition for dominance over the Middle East and Central Asia.