Sources for reliable info on the ground front line

First any source may have some slant. The ones with extreme slants are best to stay away from, unless you want to get pissed off.

So it is best to look at what both sides are saying. the truth would often be somewhere in between to two different views. also understanding who your source is and what their views on life government liberty separation of state from religion etc. I do like public broad casting for good content frontline is excellent. I do not really like CNN or other big media corp news. they focus too much on BS. also the experts kinda suck. There is often UN funded and non gov non profit agencies that do very detailed studies. don't get into mud slinging matches on so ISIS video site.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/iraq-war-on-terror/losing-iraq/inside-the-rise-of-isis/

Inside the Rise of ISIS

August 7, 2014, 7:02 pm ET by Robert Collins

there is two 1 hour videos there that tell you the a lot of stuff normal News shows do not. Normal news is shock and awe.

I like the Guardian. It is in England and I have heard people claim it is owned by leftest dykes. I was republican, I now want us to change to German style constitution more than 2 party system also change reform campaign financing. and let the small guys get public money to run. It is a system that works great.

The Guardian was a paper I first got turned onto when I was checking out Algeria in 2007 and they were the only ones who understood counter insurgency. and most of all how we need to change the focus and narrative. we need to let those dumb 20-35k + foreign insurgents who prob didnt know they would end up as cannon fodder for a Saudi commander.

The Telegraph was better in 2007 and 2008 I am sure they will get it right soon, err more right soon.

David Kilcullen is my favorite counter insurgency expert. He is the Guru of it. A very Zen fellow.
I will make a post with my favorite quotes.

Ryan Crocker is someone I think really understands the dynamics in Iraq and Syria.
he was USA ambassador to iraq during the surge, he and David Kilcullen wanted to get rid of maliki. they feared that something like what happened in Iraq would happen, also Maliki was making it Hard for Crocker and Petraeus to get the Sunni Tribes in the West and in the East , and some of what Maliki did after  Obama pulled US out day one  it was bad. One guy maybe a Kurd was ordered for execution and I think the US helped get him out.. it was a one day BS rail road court trial.

CIA factbook is good to see different states on Nations
has ethnic and religious make ups and other interesting and important stats.
if 90% of a country does not want a small amount of nutters to take over and suddenly outlaw having fun and worshiping as you wish (within reason)

Moyers and Company is very good also.

Then after that know how to find real front line battle reports. Kobani has a lot of reporters in Turkey, the Turk government is not happy with that, it may get shut down , they have tried some test the water type  remarks. The ISIS video yuck I hate the music in the background its annoying.