Mid-East Update: Confusion Before the Storm

In my Friday letter, Thoughts from the Frontline, I wrote, "This week's events have made it clear why as investors you need to be able to get a handle on world events." The turmoil in the Middle East has only intensified since then, making the markets start off the week in the midst of geopolitical uncertainty.

I think you will find it interesting to read today's note from Stratfor on the Mid-East situation. Strategic Forecasting, Inc, or Stratfor for short as I noted last Friday is my single best source for geo-political news. The company is headquartered in Austin, TX with a satellite office in Washington, DC and intelligence sources from around the world. Stratfor focuses on providing corporations, governments and individuals strategic intelligence on the economic, political and security issues that will affect them.

George Friedman, the President of Stratfor, has written an up-to-date piece on how the Israeli/Hezbollah conflict is likely to unfold. With oil in the mid 70's and the Fed facing tough decisions, investors must be on their guard with yet even more volatility from geopolitical concerns. I trust that you will find this alert to be quite "Outside the Box" compared to what the traditional media is reporting.

I have gotten them to reduce their normal subscription rates to $199 for the next few days. You can subscribe by going to https://www.stratfor.com/offers/060522-milrate/?ref=060522-milrate-BMG&camp=060522-milrate. Once again, if you need a real source of information on what is happening in the world, especially if you are in the money management business, you should subscribe.