Never equate the US with Russia

I commend letter writer Rick Mino for using his American right of free speech to discuss Russian and American relations. Unfortunately he likely would not be free to do so in Russia (“US and Russia need each other,” Friday).

He suggested we look at American history. But it seems he’s forgotten Russian history. Under Russia’s previous governments, it was directly or indirectly responsible for the estimated deaths of 100 million people in the 20th century. Russia aggressively pushed for the expansion of its influence and political system across the globe: East Germany, Eastern Europe, China, Korea, Cuba, Chile, Vietnam, Cambodia, West and East Africa and the United States itself.

Unlike the United States, Russian efforts at influence expansion always included murder, torture, enslavement and brutal daily repression on an industrial scale. Gulags, forced starvations (Ukraine 1930s), KGB torture centers, mass relocations, executions of dissidents; these were the experiences of tens of millions for decades, who fell under the influence of Russia.

This history powerfully motivated the United States to vigorously oppose the expansion of Russian influence.

We were not always successful, nor were we totally innocent in our actions. But to imply there is a moral equivalency between the actions of the United States and that of Russia is, if not naïve, repugnant. Columbus