Numerous uncredited 'inside' reports are identical to Stratfor's sitrep, intel, and combat reports. What's going on?! Stratfor is pursuing action.
The Agonist, which has skyrocketed to popularity in part by offering inside breaking news about the war before the mainstream media reports it, and which has been touted by the likes of Will Femia's Weblog Central and Nick Denton.org, appears to have an 'interesting' relationship with Stratfor and its US-Iraq War site. In fact, approximately 50% of The Agonist's posts, almost all those not credited to a mainstream media source -- which are the ones that have mostly made it shine -- appear to be identical to Stratfor sitrep, intel, and combat reports! Verbatim. While perhaps in one out of twenty times Stratfor is credited, 95% of the time, the reports somewhat infer they are inside information directly from its own sources.
Here is list of examples compiled by SACOM for yesterday March 31, 2003, the last full day.
The Agonist:
10:36 EST U.S. troops fired on a car that reportedly had tried to
crash through a checkpoint near As Samawah. One man was killed
and three people were wounded. U.S. officials say the man who
was killed was an Iraqi soldier.
Stratfor:
0256 GMT - U.S. troops fired on a car that reportedly had tried to
crash through a checkpoint near As Samawah. One man was killed and
three people were wounded. U.S. officials say the man who was killed
was an Iraqi soldier.
The Agonist:
10:41 EST coalition forces have flown 2,000 sorties in the last 24
hours. That is double the number of sorties flown on March 30.
Stratfor:
0229 GMT - U.S. officials say coalition forces have flown 2,000
sorties in the last 24 hours. That is double the number of sorties
flown on March 30.
The Agonist:
11:00 EST Artillery installations, bunkers and Iraqi troop
formations were targeted in six air raids carried out by approximately
50 warplanes from the USS Theodore Roosevelt, an unnamed defense
spokesman told AFP. The strikes were called to support special
ground forces and soldiers of the 173rd Brigade -- who parachuted
into Harir on March 28 -- in operations on the ground.
Stratfor:
0347 GMT - Approximately 50 warplanes from the USS Theodore Roosevelt
flew six air raids over Harir in northern Iraq. Artillery installations,
bunkers and Iraqi troop formations reportedly were targeted, an
unnamed defense spokesman told AFP. The strikes were called to support
special ground forces and soldiers of the 173rd Brigade -- who
parachuted into Harir on March 26 -- in operations on the ground.
The Agonist:
1406: Embeds with USMC in An Nasiriyah tell us up to 5K reinforcements
are being sent to join the 7K USMC already in and around the city.
Stratfor:
1533 GMT - Embedded reporters with the U.S. Marines fighting in
An Nasiriyah report that an additional 5,000 reinforcements are
being sent to join the 7,000 Marines already there.
Agonist:
6:26 EST Fierce fighting is under way between British paratroopers that
landed by helicopter and Iraqi local militia in the Buaj area of
western Iraq near the Syrian border, Al Jazeera TV reports.
Stratfor:
2017 GMT - Fierce fighting is under way between British
paratroopers that landed by helicopter and Iraqi local militia in
the Buaj area of western Iraq near the Syrian border, Al Jazeera
TV reports.
Agonist:
6:24 EST Basra remains "under the Baghdad regime's heel" and there
is fighting in the city's outskirts, Gen. Vincent Brooks said at
CENTCOM headquarters in Qatar. He added that at least a part of the
population of Basra remains under the influence of local Baath Party
leaders.
Stratfor:
2020 GMT - Basra remains "under the Baghdad regime's heel" and
there is fighting in the city's outskirts, Gen. Vincent Brooks
said at CENTCOM headquarters in Qatar. He added that at least a
part of the population of Basra remains under the influence of
local Baath Party leaders.
The Agonist:
6:19 EST Here are loss data from both sides in the Iraq war as compiled
by strana.ru, an official Russian news agency. Strana.ru source is the
intelligence service of an 'unnamed' Middle East country.
Coalition / Iraq:
killed: 200 / 1,500
wounded: 300 / 3500
tanks: 32 / 87
other armored vehicles: 33 / 52
helicopters: 14 / 0
artillery pieces: 0 / 172
It is cool to have a wife that speaks Russian. Mine is so-so and getting better, but hers is great
Stratfor:
2036 GMT - Below are losses data for both sides in the Iraq war
as compiled by strana.ru, an official Russian news agency.
Strana.ru referenced intelligence services of an unnamed Middle
East country when gathering this information:
Coalition / Iraq:
killed: 200 / 1,500
wounded: 300 / 3500
tanks: 32 / 87
other armored vehicles: 33 / 52
helicopters: 14 / 0
artillery pieces: 0 / 172
The Agonist:
6:08 EST The 101st has reportedly siezed the airfield at An Najaf,
following fighting and operations that lasted most of March 31. 1st
Brigade of the 101st came from the south and took the airfield the
2nd Brigade came from the north to help lead the offensive on An
Najaf and secure the airfield. The 3rd Brigade, coming from the
west, also joined in the battle.
Stratfor:
2048 GMT - The 101st Airborne Division reportedly has captured
the airfield at An Najaf, following fighting and operations that
lasted most of March 31. The 1st Brigade of the 101st came up
from the south and took the airfield, and the 2nd Brigade came in
from the north to help lead the offensive on An Najaf and secure
the airfield. The 3rd Brigade, coming from the west, also joined
in the battle.
The Agonist:
3:24 EST Reports indicate that US special forces are actively SCUD
hunting in Iraq. Details to follow. UPDATE: The hunters are currently
active in the Western Desert and Coalition officials say they are
able to move about in the desert with little or no opposition.
Stratfor:
1947 GMT - U.S. Special Forces in western Iraq are hunting SCUD
missile launchers and cutting Iraqi communication lines in the
region, said Gen. Stanley McChrystal, vice director of operations
of the Joint Staff. The forces have been able to move throughout
the area without significant opposition, he said.
Agonist:
2:27 EST An Iraqi military spokesman said March 31 that at least
54 U.S. and British soldiers have been killed in fighting in the
past 24 hours, most of them around Basra. US casualty estimate a
nearer to 40-45. I am working on a precise estimate right now.
Clarification: these numbers are a total. Not a daily tally. My bad.
Stratfor:
1906 GMT - An Iraqi military spokesman said March 31 that at
least 54 U.S. and British soldiers have been killed in fighting
in the past 24 hours, most of them around Basra.
Agonist:
5:30 EST As a result of reconnaissance problems in U.S. 3rd Brigade,
7th Cavalry, a BDA (battle damage assesment) has been made of the
Medina and Baghdad divisions of the Republican Guard. It is believed
those divisions are not operating at less than 50% of their operational
capability, as previously reported by Coalition officials.
Stratfor Analysis -- Full Article: Republican Guard: Extent of Degradation Unknown
Agonist:
5:32 EST Eurozone consumer confidence fell in March to the lowest
level in more than nine years as the Iraq war discouraged companies
from hiring, the European Commission said March 31. A confidence
index based on a survey of 25,000 consumers dropped to minus 21
from minus 19 in February. via Stratfor
Stratfor: Eurozone consumer confidence drops -- sorry, can't find
the actual text right now, but it doesn't start off well.
The Agonist:
8:34 EST Two F18 Hornets bombed Karbala on March 31 around 1300 GMT,
knocking out an artillery battery position that had been harrying
allied forces. The Iraqi military forces are hiding inside cities,
and allied forces are trying to lure them out of the cities, but
the Iraqis are not taking the bait, according to reporters embedded
with the U.S. Army's 3rd Infantry Division, 7th Cavalry Regiment
Stratfor Analysis -- Full Article:
The 3rd Squadron, 7th Cavalry has resumed its drive toward Baghdad,
in an effort to contact and draw attacks from Iraqi Republican Guard
units. The Republican Guard is not taking the bait, suggesting they
may have abandoned offensive maneuver -- at least under clear skies
So what's going on?! We'll let the blogosphere figure that one out. But Stratfor is on the case.
12:48:35 PM 
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