Stalin was responsible for at least 6 million non-combatant deaths, the majority of which were his own people. He purged society to keep his brand of communism pure.

> External forces destroyed the Soviet Union

The Soviet Union was stagnating from within. Moscow was losing control and the Baltic Republics, frustrated with the slow pace of reform, one by one seceded. I'm not sure how you're blaming that on external forces.

> if it had been left alone, it'd have fixed a lot of its problems and be a decent place to live by now.

Given the above, I highly doubt that.

I'm a bit incredulous that you're defending Stalinism.