In response to both the topic in hand and HN users down-voting w/e they disagree:
"They have shut up all their fools in a house apart, to make sure that they are wise men themselves." - Dostoyevsky
It failed to give a honest account of Cuba [1], Vietnam [2], Iraq [3], Syria [4] (Nicaragua, Guatemala, and so on). In fact, it lied about it. That had deadly consequences for millions of humans.
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propaganda_of_the_Spanish%E2%8...
[2] http://www.globalissues.org/article/402/media-propaganda-and...
[3] http://www.nytimes.com/2003/04/21/world/aftereffects-prohibi...
[4] http://www.globalresearch.ca/war-propaganda-syrias-destructi...
To answer your introductory clause: Not trying to paint myself as the victim or w/e.