Mikhail Gorbachev, who ended the Cold War, dies aged 91 -agencies

There will be a number of glowing hagiographies shortly describing him in positive terms because he saw the peaceful end of the Soviet Union through “openness” and by not sending the tanks to crush the various smaller Communist countries when they split from the Soviet Union. But the thing to never, EVER forget: he was a Communist. His policies weren’t intended to see Estonia and Latvia and East Germany gain their freedom; those were unintended consequences. His plan was not for the Soviet Union to go away without firing a shot; his goal was to perpetuate the USSR and Communism for all time. His goal was not the end of the Cold War with the West left standing, but the conquest of the  world and total subjugation to Communism. He was just kind of incompetent *and* not a complete monster. So, yes, he wasn’t the worst Communist. Kind of like how Admiral Doernitz wasn’t the worst Nazi. But a Nazi is still a Nazi, a Commie is still a Commie, even if they smile at you while planning on erasing your family from existence.