Stratfor
Stratfor (Strategic Forecasting Inc.) is an American private intelligence and analysis company. Barron's ,agazine called the company a "shadow CIA".[1] As a private intelligence firm calling itself "investment advisors" or "risk assessment", Stratfor is not subject to Congressional oversight nor the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). It was founded in 1996 by American political scientist George Friedman, who still heads the company. The company's Vice President of Counterterrorism and Corporate Security is Fred Barton. Several executives from Pagan International merged with Stratfor in 2003.
Stratfor collects and analyzes information about events in the world. They receive information from the media and other open sources, as well as from the company's own sources. Based on the information collected, the company's analysts make economic and geopolitical forecasts.
Some of the company's classified documents were released by WikiLeaks in 2013.[2]
References
- ↑ Jonathan R. Laing «The Shadow CIA»
- ↑ The Global Intelligence Files - STRATFOR - WikiLeaks