Compared with what - the brutality of the US occupation of Vietnam ? Or the brutality of the regimes the US backed in Chile, El Salvador, Guatemala, etc., etc.

Compared with leaving the rival tribal factions to fight each other with ancient rifles, whether over education policies or just because they are rival tribes.  The Soviet Union never provided effective aid to to Latin American liberation movements and progressive governments regarding Latin America to be within the American Sphere of influence.  The US was suppose to recognise Afghanistan as being within he Soviet sphere of influence - according to the cold war rulebook.  The US never attempted to invade Afghanistan directly in recognition of this principle.  That is why their actions there had to be covert.

Index of Frank's Diaries