And that exact sort of thinking ushered in the Mullahs in the late 70’s.
No once the cold war got started the idea in foreign policy become “friends vs the communists” It no longer was to promote American ideals. Any dictator that was willing to side with us instead of the commies got a pass. Now its us vs the islamists with the same results.
American forgien policy should be to change these countries into constitutional republics.