Left-wing journalist Alexander Cockburn died on Saturday following a two year battle with cancer. He was 71.

Born in Ireland, Cockburn became one of the most influential leftist writers in the U.S. as co-editor of the bi-weekly newsletter, CounterPunch. Cockburn was also a columnist first with The Village Voice and later with The Nation.

Aside from Noam Chomsky, Cockburn was not only influential in steering the Left towards its present anti-Israel inclinations but also played a role in making anti-Semitism acceptable to said constituency. Indeed, Cockburn relished being labeled an anti-Semite.

Occasionally, Cockburn strayed from leftist orthodoxy as was the case with his skepticism towards global warming.

Last December, Cockburn wrote a scathing obituary of his rival Christopher Hitchens.

Cockburn was the uncle of actress Olivia Wilde.