@gemlog Ha-ha-ha, no! Of course I don't think of you that way 😅
I know you try to have a weighted opinion based on many different sources. But you often pay more attention to local news, they are more detailed and they seem more "real", we get biased this way so what is closer geographically often seems more "evil".
I'm that way too, I'm inclined to see Russia's taint and I know they are not smart enough for truly Machiavellian stuff, but they are more ruthless on average.
@gemlog Of course I don't think of US as dressed all-white, but I don't believe it's "Confessions of EHM" either. As you can guess, this book is pretty popular in RU. Leaders opposing the US are portrayed so benevolent that it's sickening. I know they have their own dirty deeds behind them: it's politics, you always have a compromise or two with the devil. And I know the anti-US rhetoric is used to distract people from real problems more often than it should be.
@gemlog The real advantage the US has over these countries isn't perfect reputation, but stronger democratic institutions. Not perfect, but way better that in Russia, Iran, Turkey and Venezuela combined. I bet, you won't even be able to publish a book like that in these countries. Remember Litvinenko?
This is what makes the US more trustworthy to me, not Biden, Trump, or whoever is at the helm. US civil society will never let it turn into dirty deeds done quick, no matter how evil the state is.