US has never done anything in foreign affairs for free.
The current post soviet (& fledgling post ME) situation actually is relatively “free” though, there is an absolutely massive amount of inertia in place.
Interesting to see how he differs from 1984[1]:
Oceania is split across Old Core, New Core, and Disconnected.
Eurasia is split across Old Core and New Core.
Eastasia is split across New Core and Disconnected.
Disputed territories are contained within Disconnected.
Guess I'll track his trichotomy to see if it has any better explanatory power.
[1] roughly (in our world I think Eastasia is smaller): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nations_of_Nineteen_Eighty-Fou...
That is the nature of politics.