STRATFOR 5/10/04

Stratfor 5/10/04
The Enemies of Good Intelligence

The latest U.S. announcements about threats in the Middle East likely are based on increasingly reliable local intelligence, making the warnings that much more serious. The same sources of local intelligence are also increasingly at risk.
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Africa Net Assessment: Sub-Saharan Oil and Arms
Apr 30, 2004
Energy sources discovered in sub-Sahara Africa in the mid-1990s refueled Western interest in the region after years of post-Cold War neglect. Now the U.S.-led war on terrorism is making the continent an even bigger draw. Some nations -- those in strategic geopolitical positions -- have benefited; most have not. Overall, the situation in this much-overlooked corner of the world remains quite bleak.
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Greenspan: Energy Prices Going Up and Staying Up
Apr 30, 2004
U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan warned this week that the global economy has entered an era of permanently higher crude oil and natural gas prices. This will force U.S. producers and consumers to rethink how they use energy. In the near term, it implies higher costs that would impact business investments and consumer spending. In the longer term, the U.S. economy will benefit disproportionately.