Bribes and oil were the goal. Consolidation of allied dictator was goal. That worked.
It did made germany democratic after wwii. That really happened. But then it has stream of helping dictators and killing democracies while being acting confused when locals did not appreciated it ... and when different violent movements joined the game.
America is even supporting fascists parties all around Europe right now. If they win, it is going to be mainly eu dysfunction. But it will also be true that America actively sponsored fascists and actively undermined democracy in Europe.
> spreading democracy and then finding out those voters want different shades of fascism
Where exactly this happened, really?
Iraq, Egypt, Gaza, Post-Soviet Russia comes to mind among others
Also, contrary to your theory, most of human history people were ruled by non-democratic governments that were deemed legitimate, so I think you are conflating the two
Nobody believes this to be the case. What is more often missed by policy makers is that overthrowing a government supported by the local population is unpopular and will cause blowback. The CIA-supported coup in Iran is a currently relevant example.
> Also, contrary to your theory, most of human history people were ruled by non-democratic governments that were deemed legitimate
That was when people believed in the divine right of kings, so those kings ruled with the consent of the governed. This is no longer the case. Nobody believes in the divine right of dictators.