Indeed....without a doubt!!! ...But......a stabilizing influence in the ME.
The world has lost too many of these of late, then the REAL maniacs take over. A blessing compared to ISIS et al.
Such allies are a modern conundrum.
We know they do wicked things. But they do other things that profit our country (and sometimes, greater humankind).
There could always be the Jimmy Carter approach, topple that “horrible” shah. But that is to strain out gnats and swallow camels.
I don’t know all the answers, but we should attempt, at least, to “first, do no harm.”