[FarCenter]

Gorbachev's desire for Russia to become part of Europe was never going to happen, no matter how democratic and free market it could become.

A free market, democratic Russia as part of the EU would be the most populous, largest, and most influential member of the EU. This would seriously dilute the power of Germany, France, Italy, Spain and especially the UK.

The US could not let this happen, and since the UK was an EU member, the US and UK worked assiduously to ensure that it would never come to be.

[oblomov]

In other words, we’ve become like the British Empire at the height of her powers in the 18th century, tinkering & forever scheming in world affairs with disastrous results, gaining prosperity through sheer force and often in spite of ourselves.

[RockyTx]

Gorb .. turd

[ansel12]

Russia was looking for someone who could cope with Reagan and Gorbachev was Russian leader number 4 to face him, Russia had lost their best opportunity to attack the West in 1984 and Reagan had been reelected by 49 states that year, NATO was strong, the massive anti-war movement in Europe ignored by Reagan, Afghanistan was a disaster for the Russian military, and Reagan had invaded Grenada, showing resolve.
""Reagan offered to cancel the US deployments if Moscow would withdraw all SS-20s—the “Zero Option.” The arms control clerisy considered the idea “unrealistic,” designed to score propaganda points. They were wrong. After the US began to deploy intermediate-range nuclear forces weapons in late 1983, the Soviets folded. The Zero Option became the core of the 1987 INF Treaty. In a few years, all such weapons were gone. Their elimination constituted a key step toward liquidation of the Cold War.""

[LIConFem]

Gorbachev was a stone communist, who was just pragmatic enough to see that continuing the cold war would completely bankrupt the USSR. And yet we're all supposed to get all misty when people talk about how he "ended the cold war".

*spit*

[aMorePerfectUnion]

—> political repression in his native Russia has become stifling once more,

Yeah, that will never happen here /s

[LS]

https://spectator.org/mikhail-gorbachev-dies-meets-maker/

A much better assessment here.

[dfwgator]

Tragic? The guy got filthy rich after he lost power.

[LS]

Gorby and the Gipper:

A little different take than that of the worshipful Hoax News Media.

https://larrys.substack.com/p/gorby-and-the-gipper

[sergeantdave]

Yay, Gorby! God imprinted an image of what Russia will look like in the year 2200 atop Gorby’s head. Who says God doesn’t have a sense of humor?