I didn’t say it was a good excuse, I said that was the context in which it happened.

With that logic, you can cover for any thinkable activity 'because soviets'. We don't like european politicians? Bam, because soviets. Cause millions of deaths around the world? Worth the cause, 'coz soviets. Anybody does anything but exactly what we need them to (which in many cases would mean self-harm)? Commie ruskie, bam!

Change soviets with terrorists for 21st century.

Can you stop being unnecessarily hostile? As I already said, I was explaining the rationale for the actions, not justifying them.

Take your low-effort outrage elsewhere, please.

The article details numerous situations where the Soviets were not the rationale, merely the scapegoat. That's what led me to respond, I don't see how the fake rationale changes anything.