Stratfor
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| Type | Private |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1996 |
| Headquarters | Austin, Texas, USA |
| Key people | George Friedman (founder, chairman and Chief Intelligence Officer) |
| Industry | intelligence |
| Products | strategic intelligence, tactical intelligence, custom intelligence, written and multimedia analysis, corporate security analysis, geopolitics |
| Employees | 70 (2004) |
| Website | http://www.stratfor.com/ |
Strategic Forecasting, Inc., more commonly known as STRATFOR, is a global intelligence company founded in 1996 in Austin, Texas. George Friedman is the founder, chief intelligence officer, and CEO of the company. Fred Burton is STRATFOR's Vice President for Counterterrorism and Corporate Security.
Contents |
[edit] Products
STRATFOR has published a daily intelligence briefing since its inception in 1996. Its rise to prominence occurred with the release of its Kosovo Crisis Center during the 1999 NATO air-strikes over Kosovo, which led to publicity in Time magazine, Texas Monthly, and other major publications.[1] Before the end of 1999, however, STRATFOR had introduced a subscription service through which it offered the majority of its analyses. At the time of the September 11, 2001 attacks, STRATFOR made its "breaking news" paragraphs, as well as some notable analyses predicting likely actions to be taken by al-Qaeda and the Bush administration available freely to the public.
STRATFOR has some products available to the public including private briefings, corporate memberships, a publishing business that includes written and multimedia analysis and an iPhone application.[2]
[edit] Clients
STRATFOR's client list is confidential, but the company's publicity list includes Fortune 500 companies and international government agencies.[3]
Currently STRATFOR's products are oriented around individual subscriptions, of which the "Premium" product is the most comprehensive in content offered. Other packages, such as "Global Vantage", are tailored to appeal to commercial or governmental customers. They feature regional and customizable intelligence whereby users are able to partake in monthly teleconferences with STRATFOR's founder, Dr. George Friedman, and have the option of e-mailing STRATFOR's analysts with a "guaranteed response within 24 hours Monday - Friday".[4] Some of STRATFOR's work remains available free to the public.[5]
[edit] Media coverage
STRATFOR has been cited by media such as CNN, Bloomberg, the Associated Press, Reuters, The New York Times and the BBC as an authority on strategic and tactical intelligence issues.[6] Barron's once referred to it as "The Shadow CIA".[7]
[edit] References
- ^ "Spies Like Us", Time, Jan. 25, 1999
- ^ STRATFOR products
- ^ "Brazil Oil Finds May End Reliance on Middle East, Zeihan Says". Bloomberg L.P..com. http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601109&sid=aBUoYKhu7PWk&refer=home. Retrieved 2008-04-25.
- ^ "Global Vantage Services". STRATFOR. http://www.stratfor.com/services/global-vantage-services.php#teleconferences. Retrieved 2007-09-17.
- ^ "STRATFOR's Free Intelligence Reports". STRATFOR. https://www.stratfor.com/services/freesignup.php. Retrieved 2007-09-17.
- ^ STRATFOR media coverage
- ^ Jonathan R. Laing. "The Shadow CIA". http://users1.barrons.com/lmda/do/checkLogin?mg=evo-barrons&url=http%3A%2F%2Fonline.barrons.com%2Farticle%2FSB1002927557434087960.html. Retrieved 2007-09-17.
