Pakistan and the U.S. Exit From Afghanistan
October 1, 2010
In the wake of the newly appointed heir to the North Korean dictatorship position, I've been thinking about the 'cult of personality'. Traditional reporting will often focus on the personality of leaders or, in the case of democracy, the details of leaders' interactions. While it's interesting to think about, some would call it one-sided, even topical. When I've got investments on the line, those are two words I don't want to describe my research.
The decisions of a single personality seem unreliable. But when you look deeper, you can see that most nations and even leaders with personality are forced to make decisions in a reliably logical fashion. What may seem like a broad spectrum of choices when examined carefully are actually just one or two logical ones. The personality of the leader is of much less consequence than the nation's geopolitics.
For a full understanding of this analytical approach, which is very much applicable in the finance world, get to know STRATFOR, a global intelligence company founded by my friend George Friedman. Read George's report below on U.S. options in Afghanistan, and << click here to sign up for their free weekly intelligence reports>>.
U.S. Drawdown From Iraq Leaves Void
September 2, 2010
The U.S. withdrawal date has come and gone. What will post-withdrawal Iraq look like? Can the Iraqi security forces fill the void? How will Iran exploit the diminished U.S. presence? To understand the answers to these questions you need a perspective the is to the point and contains no bias. In today's Outside the Box I'm including a insightful video from the analysts at STRATFOR, a global intelligence company.
This region matters, and STRATFOR keeps you informed. <<Click here to watch the video>> and sign up for their free intelligence reports.
Arizona, Borderlands and U.S.-Mexican Relations
August 5, 2010
The immigration issue and Arizona’s controversial new law provokes passions on all sides. But too often the debate doesn’t reflect the complex history and geopolitics that inform the issue.
Today I'm sending you an article from George Friedman, expert on geopolitics & founder of STRATFOR. Dr. Friedman presents his unique perspective on the immigration issue by touching on everything from the geography of the borderlands to Andrew Jackson and the importance of New Orleans. It is a prime example of how putting an issue like immigration in a geopolitical perspective gives you context for understanding how events are related and what the future may hold. Be sure to sign up for STRATFOR's free mailing list for weekly analyses like this one.
The Meaning of Marjah
February 18, 2010
There is no lack of discussion about where we are right now - in terms of jobs, real estate, global economy, etc. Few get it right, and even fewer actually understand where we're headed. Once you find an information source that correctly predicts what's coming up, you hold on to it. For me, it's STRATFOR. It's not often that you find a news source with such a solid methodology.
Today I'm including a piece from STRATFOR on the Afghan war. It strikes me as one of their best pieces recently, and I encourage you to pay close attention to the candor of their analysis style. We all need to know what to expect from this conflict area, and though we might think we have a decent idea, there's always something at play behind the scenes. Read the article, then click here to sign up for more free intelligence reports from STRATFOR.
Obama’s Plan and the Key Battleground
December 3, 2009
The hottest headline this week is President Obama's war in Afghanistan. After his speech Tuesday night, critics, pundits and beltway know-it-alls have been giving their two cents across the airways, printing presses and online. On issues such as this, I eliminate the noise and go straight to my favorite source of intelligence. In the article I'm sending, my friend, and STRATFOR CEO, George Friedman spells out the key to winning this war - and it's not a troop surge. U.S. forces and a U.S.-trained Afghan army will need solid intelligence to quash the Taliban.
We all need solid intelligence - from fighting wars to buying a house to creating an investment portfolio. Knowing what happened yesterday is useful, and you can get that information at any newsstand. Understanding what may happen tomorrow - whether it's a Taliban attack or a market crash - is priceless... and harder to find. Click here to sign up to receive STRATFOR's free weekly intelligence reports - and discover the benefits of understanding the global system of tomorrow.
A Mystery in the Middle East
April 10, 2008
This is a Special Edition of Outside the Box from my friend George Friedman and Stratfor. You've heard me say before that these guys see the world in a different way, but this piece just makes it crystal clear. There are serious rumblings about a major war coming between Israel and its neighbors, and George has put what seems like innocent dots on the board and wonders if there is not a pattern emerging. I am especially looking forward to seeing George and his wife and partner Meredith at my conference this weekend.
The newspapers will do a wonderful job of telling you the bombs started falling yesterday, but that's like trading on yesterday's quotes. George's team is focused on what's coming, and their geopolitical insights are uncannily accurate.
If you've been reading my letters for a while, you know that George has offered a special rate to my readers. George and his colleague Fred Burton both have new books coming out soon, and they've very kindly extended a special offer on a Stratfor membership that includes autographed copies. Like all of us, I hope there's not going to be a new war in Israel, but hope is no more a geopolitical strategy than it is an investment strategy, so I encourage you to stay aware of what's coming by reading Stratfor.
I wouldn't recommend to you - via my emails or at my conference - someone that I didn't feel was the absolute best in the world at providing geopolitical insights to the private sector. If global events shape your investment decisions, and that's everyone these days, you need to complement your financial awareness with geopolitical intelligence. I hope you click here to take advantage of George's very kind offer.
War Plans: United States and Iran
November 1, 2007
This week in our Special Outside the Box, George Friedman of Stratfor addresses what many believe to be the looming war with Iran, the potential wars' strategic futility, the underlying geopolitical implications, and the inherent threats that abound on account of Iran's defensive measures and offensive capabilities; the latter consisting of terrorist organizations that can harm US interests, be they domestic or foreign.
Stratfor continues to provide insightful and pertinent research on economic and geopolitical events and their respective ramifications. I depend on Stratfor to keep me abreast of such events and strongly recommend it to all wanting knowledgeable, reputable, analytical commentary discerning through the complexity of world affairs. Stratfor continues to generously provide significant savings to readers of Outside the Box who subscribe to their service, for further information please click here.
War, Psychology and Time
September 13, 2007
This week in a Special Outside the Box, George Friedman of Stratfor reflects upon September 11th, a monumental date in our country's history. George strives to discern the current and future ramifications of US military presence in the Orient, posits what - if any - reasoning stands to support and drive Osama Bin Laden's underlying motives and actions, and the impact the tragic event and our response have upon the American psyche.
This Stratfor piece is an objective, thought-provoking assessment of the current military campaign that will have dramatic implications on our global economic and geopolitical landscape. Stratfor continues to provide insightful and pertinent research on economic and geopolitical events and their respective ramifications. Stratfor continues to generously provide significant savings to readers of Outside the Box, for further information please click here. For those who want information on what is happening in the world, Stratfor is a must. There website and services cover the world for you.
I hope you find this article enlightening and thought provoking as we venture forward in an uncertain world with perseverance and moral fortitude.
The Limitations and Necessity of Naval Power
April 12, 2007
In this week's Special Edition of Outside the Box, Stratfor President George Friedman discusses the historical role of the U.S. Navy over the course of previous conflicts as well as what type of a role it might play in the future. Just as in economics, a military is forced to make decisions based on an almost infinite number of situations while dealing with a finite amount of resources. Increasing the allocation of resources to one military branch will correspondingly decrease the amount of resources to other branches and initiatives.
George and I are good friends, and thus he continues to generously offer my readers a special discount on his normal subscription rates. If you are interested in more geopolitical reports and analysis, you can check out more about Stratfor and obtain the discount by clicking here.
I trust that you will enjoy George's commentary and may you have a pleasant remainder of the week.