Respectable opinion would never consider an assessment of the Reagan Doctrine or earlier exercises in terms of their actual human costs, and could not comprehend that such an assessment–which would yield a monstrous toll if accurately conducted on a global scale–might perhaps be a proper task in the United States. At the same level of integrity, disciplined Soviet intellectuals are horrified over real or alleged American crimes, but perceive their own only as benevolent intent gone awry, or errors of an earlier day, now overcome; the comparison is inexact and unfair, since Soviet intellectuals can plead fear as an excuse for their services to state violence. Noam Chomsky
About This Quote

The Soviet Union used to be a superpower until the fall of the Iron Curtain. However, it fell from power due to its own criminal actions. The United States, on the other hand, was supposed to have been a superpower but turned out to be a poor country due to its own criminal actions. In both cases, the leaders of the countries could not admit to their mistakes and continued to justify their wrongful actions.

Source: The Culture Of Terrorism

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