How about those the presidents for life who got backed by America? Chiang Kai-shek (in Taiwan), Rhee Syngman and Park (South Korea),...etc?
Papa Doc Duvalier?
and Stalin against Hitler. Its foreign policy. The enemy of my enemy. That does not mean that a "president" for life is the most desirable option for governing a country.
Allowing even the possibility of an 83 year old Putin to run Russia is stupid.