>Gorbachev is a great man IMO. He tore down the walls of the Cold War and eternal hatred.
> He stared down the apparachiks who ruled the USSR. Credit to Ronald Reagan as well. So there I go, praising a Commie and a Republican in one post ;-)

Agreed Mike.

Here's an interesting exercise:
Ask most Russians who were around before Gorbachev took office "Are you better off now than before Gorbachev took office?"
Then ask the same question of Americans about Reagan.