I didn't read it that way.   Our CIA has certainly done worse things in the last 100 years.   But two wrongs don't make a right so I have no qualms about bashing Putin's growing authoritarian regime, even while my own country has unaired dirty laundry.

Do you believe you understand the world of national powers and their underground wars?    I don't, but I would far rather live in the U.S. than I would modern Russia.   (I have no dislike for Russian citizens, and some compassion knowing many of the own minorities are suffering from political oppression and violence)