US Policy should be separated by primary and secondary objectives. The driving force behind a rules base, democratic, capitalistic society. Its openness allow flexibility in dealing with different forms of government in achieve its goal. Remember at the beginning of the Cold War, it was a brand new problems and each step of the way was something the world have not seen before. Major ideological difference. What won the Cold War was its agile method of engagement, economic cohesion, and military strength. Some of those dictatorial countries did eventually turn democratic or some form of it. South Korea, Spain, etc. There are others that have the opposite effect too, such as China and Russia. But in the long run, the seeds of freedom may still appear as autocratic leadership reach the extreme.