[thechat] US vs USSR etc.

[Bill]

> The main reason I am (and have been) more critical of US actions than
> of USSR actions is that I am a US citizen, and the US always
> differentiated itself from the USSR in by claiming that it was
> "democratic" and that the USSR was not.  So as a US citizen, what I
> think about my own governments actions and responses should matter.
> I live here, not there.
>
> (Also, USSR is no longer.)
>
> There were civil conflicts that both nations manipulated for their
> own selfish purposes.  Both nations used a lot of human beings as
> expendable pawns in the game.
>
> As a US citizen, I find that reprehensible.
>
> The USSR and the USA were in fact two very similar countries.  Yes,
> there were significant differences, but their world agendas were very
> similar.  However, now the USSR is gone and the USA hasn't changed
> much.

I totally and completely catch your meaning. However, I wonder if it's
possible that given the extreme tension and competition during the US/USSR
cold war times, we may all be "Soviets" now had we not done many of the
terrible things we did? Understanding that we used the "pawns" to keep our
position, what if we hadn't kept our position? Where would we be now? Would
we be saying, the USA is gone and the USSR hasn't changed much? Not saying
we would, just questioning.

BH