US and Russia need each other

In his Sunday op-ed “Russia’s lies aimed at destabilizing West,” Jonah Goldberg referred to the evils of the former Soviet Union and present-day Russia, including the alleged meddling of Vladimir Putin in Western Europe. However, it would be the height of hypocrisy to suggest that the United States is innocent in this regard. And anyone who believes that our country is the repository of all that is saintly needs to take a closer look at American history.

It is well documented that the United States government with the assistance of the omnipresent CIA overthrew five democratically elected governments: Chile, Indonesia, Guatemala, Iran, and the Congo. Additionally, it is well known that the CIA during the early 1960s worked hard to destabilize the Cuban government. And lest we forget, during the early 1960s, the CIA and its mafia cohorts made several attempts to kill Fidel Castro.

Goldberg claimed that the “Soviets tried to discredit Martin Luther King Jr.” Whatever the Soviets might have done toward that end pales in comparison to the devious plan hatched by the FBI to convince King that he should commit suicide. Again, this nefarious effort to bring about the suicide of King is well documented.

Goldberg correctly pointed out that Russia is primarily concerned with its own national interest, but, to be fair, that is true of all countries. And like it or not, Russia is a major world power with nuclear capability. Wherever possible, the United States should seek common ground with Putin. And despite the demonization of Putin by pundits like Goldberg, Trump is correct in pursuing a strategy of peaceful coexistence with Russia. Canal Winchester