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Stratfor "source" Veni Markovski
I’ve been reading over the Stratfor emails and came across one from analyst Marko Papic in 2010, regarding the 2010 Wikileaks release of the State Department cables.
It contains nothing earth shattering, but it does say a lot about how these Stratfor analysts thought of themselves:
And I just want to be clear here… I have no problem with the leaks. I think they’re great. And I think it may be good on some level to have stuff like this come out once in a while. What I can’t stand is A) [Julian Assange's] ego trip and B) his clear anti-Americanism. Take the time to read the intro to Cablegate when you get the chance. This guy hates America more than OBL.
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I want to see him try to take on the Russians. He’d be going bald in an Iceland hospital within days.
Well if there’s anyone who can roll with Eastern European mobsters, it’s the Stratfor crew.
In an email entitled “Oligarch Sitdown Opportunity“ (no system date), the self-same Marko Papic says “I’ve got nothing better to do on Oct 10-12 than to sit down with a shady Bulgarian billionaire whose handle is “Vinny.”
“Vinny” is apparently Veni Markovski, Bulgarian telecommunications oligarch recommended to Stratfor by his good pal Michael Dell. He emailed Stratfor cold on 8-11-2011 asking for Fred Burton’s email address, and on 8/12 Burton forward it to Stratfor analyst Lauren Goodrich.
In a 8-11-2008 email, Goodrich requests research on “Shady Bulgarian” Veni Markovski. “It is not a client project, but a security problem for us.” She tells Fred Burton he’s “kinda a strange guy.” Then on 10-17-2008, Goodrich asks for a Stratfor subscription for her “source,” Veni Markovski,” and lists his email address (and later his password).
No doubt Vinny is sitting there right now ready to attest to Stratfor’s superior mob-handling prowess.
Update: In a 10-12-10 email, mongoven@stratfor.com says of Assange: “I’m in favor of using whatever trumped up charge is available to get this guy and his servers off the streets.” Really inspires confidence that Stratfor was being hired by numerous branches of the US government. Such respect for the rule of law is truly stirring.
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People pay these guys for their thoughts and opinions and info-gathering, and they leave their usernames and passwords lying around in emails?
Also: “Oligarch Sitdown Opportunity” is a cool band name.
Did Goodrich fall for Vinny’s rakish good looks and professionally-whitened teeth?
What’s that rolling sound I hear? Another hard-boiled Stratfor analyst turning out to be a pushover?
I think he got those teeth from a horse.
What are these guys/gals? Living in a Hollywood movie or something?
Sheesh. And yeah: let’s get right onto the fact that Julian Assange is allegedly “anti-American.” Rather than envy the Rooskies alleged ability to “ice” their “enemies” with radioactive substances, how about asking WHY Assange might be so Anti-American??
Oh yeah: why do that when it’s so much more fun playing Spy v. Spy. The tricky bit is WHO wears the white clothes & hat and who wears the black when good “folks” like Goodrich & Vinny bend an elbow together in some funky Eastern European joint???
Are you or FDL mentioned in any of the Stratfor emails? If not, I’ll have to reconsider my membership here, either to cancel or increase my support.
You have to be clearer on your cancellation vs. increased support.
Please assign dollar values (+ and -) to each option below:
–not mentioned
–mentioned favorably
–mentioned unfavorably
Go on punk, make my day.
Actually depends what’s in those insurance files as to whether intelligence personnel are endangered or just a globe’s worth of politicians embarrassed and exposed.
You mean if the badass dickheads make a martyr out of Assange that might be a win?
Don’t these twits have a serious jones for Assange?
That remains to be seen, especially in light of this new dump. Depends on how far and wide the public gets to be informed about the contents of these emails. At a minimum, there are some Stratfor personnel who have new careers waiting. And a lot of 1% folks who now wonder what they paid the big bucks for.
LOL