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Breaking: WikiLeaks begins publishing 5 million emails from STRATFOR. (Original Post) jefferson_dem Feb 2012 OP
I like the one on dipsydoodle Feb 2012 #1
"The material shows how a private intelligence agency works, and how they target individuals for midnight Feb 2012 #2
See also Gizmodo: snot Feb 2012 #3
I'm so glad, I was annoyed an "anonymous" decried the hacking of STRATFOR. joshcryer Feb 2012 #4
Busted lovuian Feb 2012 #5
Private intelligence gathering Harmony Blue Feb 2012 #6
How are they "busted"? metalbot Feb 2012 #8
The US govt hires private security corporations which serve the mega-rich to make ever-greater Sarah Ibarruri Feb 2012 #7

midnight

(26,624 posts)
2. "The material shows how a private intelligence agency works, and how they target individuals for
Sun Feb 26, 2012, 08:17 PM
Feb 2012

their corporate and government clients."


"Government and diplomatic sources from around the world give Stratfor advance knowledge of global politics and events in exchange for money. The Global Intelligence Files exposes how Stratfor has recruited a global network of informants who are paid via Swiss banks accounts and pre-paid credit cards. Stratfor has a mix of covert and overt informants, which includes government employees, embassy staff and journalists around the world.

The material shows how a private intelligence agency works, and how they target individuals for their corporate and government clients. For example, Stratfor monitored and analysed the online activities of Bhopal activists, including the "Yes Men", for the US chemical giant Dow Chemical. The activists seek redress for the 1984 Dow Chemical/Union Carbide gas disaster in Bhopal, India. The disaster led to thousands of deaths, injuries in more than half a million people, and lasting environmental damage."





snot

(10,529 posts)
3. See also Gizmodo:
Mon Feb 27, 2012, 12:26 AM
Feb 2012
http://gizmodo.com/5888440/wikileaks-reveals-private-cias-dirty-laundry-updating-live :

Wikileaks has published five million emails from Stratfor, an intelligence company based in Texas that, looking at their practices, appears to be America's very own privately run CIA. According to Wikileaks, their deals would also include the use of privileged information to make money in financial markets.

Stratfor's clients are the US Government, other countries and military organizations, as well as private companies like Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman or Raytheon. They have a global network of spies in governments and media companies, including "secret deals with dozens of media organizations and journalists, from Reuters to the Kiev Post." According to the emails, these spies get paid in Swiss bank accounts and pre-paid credit cards.

Wikileaks says that the emails also reveal the creation of a parallel organization called StratCap. Apparently, this organization would use Stratfor network of informants to make money in financial markets. Wikileaks claims that the emails show how then-Goldman Sachs Managing Director Shea Morenz and Stratfor CEO George Friedman put StratCap in motion in 2009.


Much more at the link.

metalbot

(1,058 posts)
8. How are they "busted"?
Mon Feb 27, 2012, 11:09 AM
Feb 2012

Stratfor is a for-profit company that is doing pretty much exactly what they say they've been doing for the last 15 years. They have a large team of analysts and information sources, and charge for analysis of the information they buy. I don't think they've ever claimed that their mission was the non-profit defense of America...

Sarah Ibarruri

(21,043 posts)
7. The US govt hires private security corporations which serve the mega-rich to make ever-greater
Mon Feb 27, 2012, 10:39 AM
Feb 2012

profits.

Makes me sick to my stomach. I'm glad this happened. It certainly shows how the middle class in the U.S. gets screwed. Everything is geared to benefit the rich at the expense of the rest.

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