The US said that it was in Vietnam to promote freedom and hold back communism. We said that if we left, there would be a bloodbath. The Leftists at home succeeded in crippling our war effort. We came home -- and there was a bloodbath.
The US helped the Shah of Iran. We said that we were helping to westernize an important country in the midst of Islamic repression. The Leftists at home scared people with tales of SAVAK, the Shah's bloodthirsty secret police. We abandoned the Shah, and Khomeini came to power. And for 30 years, Iran has been a major exporter of terrorism.
Cuba, Nicaragua, El Salvador, etc. All quite similar.
The 20th century was a bloody century. The Communists were involved. We were involved. Who really bears responsibility for the killing? I don't think it's the CIA.
On balance, I say that we have been trying to do the right thing, we've tried to promote freedom, that Leftists at home have succeeded in tying our hands, and that Communists abroad have shed a lot of blood -- and often convinced people that it's all our fault.
Let me rephrase that one for you: Ass-hat Jimmy Carter abandoned the Shah, and Khomeini came to power. And for 30 years, Iran has been a major exporter of terrorism.
There. Fixed it.
Kudos! Excellent response to a common lib scenario question.