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Rolly

Apr 25, 2012, 11:30 AM

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Stratfor Reports

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The latest Stratfor Report on drug gang activities in México is here.

Rolly Pirate

Bennie García

Apr 25, 2012, 5:29 PM

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Re: [Rolly] Stratfor Reports

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These so-called security consultants are a con. In all of their reports I have read, they seem to be nothing more than compilations of news reports from other sources. I guess if they can convince enough people to subscribe to their services then that makes them legit. I have my doubts as to whether they actually have sources or connections within law enforcement or other government agencies.

Altahabana

Apr 27, 2012, 2:21 PM

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Re: [Bennie García] Stratfor Reports

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To me its obvious some of the writers have sources within law enforcement or government agencies who feed them information. I don't subscribe to Stratfor, but most of the stories from there I see linked about the area where I live are a hell of alot more analytic and insightful than the largely uninformed naysayer commentary that dominates on many ex-pat and travel forums.

Aaron+

Apr 27, 2012, 2:44 PM

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Re: [Altahabana] Stratfor Reports

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I concur with Althabana´s assessment. Stratfor is independent of any government, but does seem to have contacts with some official sources. Usually their reports are well worth the read. (In a former position, I used to have access to USG traffic. Stratfor actually strikes me as more reality-based then the politically serving reports issued by our Embassies.)

mazbook1

Apr 27, 2012, 3:16 PM

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Re: [Aaron+] Stratfor Reports

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Well, Stratfor may well have inside sources, but I finally stopped reading their analyses, as I saw the occasional one on México. Their analyses on México seem to always be from a purely U.S. viewpoint—and we all know just how biased that is, or has become—and seem to nearly always be of the "be frightened" variety, which may be their own bias, as they are in the "security" business and need frightened people to sell their product to.

richmx2

Apr 28, 2012, 8:28 PM

Post #6 of 6 (1313 views)

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Re: [Aaron+] Stratfor Reports

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How independent Stratfor is seems to be a question these days (don't you read Wikileaks?). The reason they're no longer trusted by a lot of people has to do with their apparent appropriation of U.S. intelligence data (which is biased towards existing U.S. government assumptions to begin with) either through bribery or other means, and massaged to fit George Friedman and friend's own political and business agenda.

There's probably nothing wrong with using Stratfor as a source for information, as long as one accepts that, like any observation, it depends on the observer's position and biases.

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