My frustration is that Stratfor is mostly for paying customers and I cannot afford it.

The “free” alternatives are mostly ego-organs published by suspiciously oriented policy prescriptionistes. They usually claim some amazing insight and keep flogging the same **** insight long past its usefulness. Many of them are STILL repeating the non-intelligent idea that Georgia somehow provoked Russia by virtue of its adventurism, hubris, neo-con dupe-ism, whatever.

I suspect that they are all shills for “moderate” political tendencies. As an ex-leftist who “converted” slowly way back when along with Norman Podhoretz and Joshua Muravchik (i.e. as a Commentary addict) I just cannot believe the inanity of some of these self-appointed wizards with their oh-so-clever theories of late model conflict.

Color me frustrated. OMG, how I hate to click on Stratfor links and get that “Subxcriberz Only” interface! Open source Patriotism, anyone?