May be a bit different than the headlines may have led one to believe.
Read a bit about the history of Reagan, Bush the First, Clinton and Bush the Second regarding these matters. The propaganda hasn't always been the truth.
Here's one history written by an unabashed Conservative who was on the inside of many of these administrations in high counter-terrorism roles who touchs on them all.
Reads like a good mystery, hard to put down, and he seems to give credit where due, without political blindness.
Arf