It is true. Just as it's true that liberal democracy did not need an alliance with the USSR to win world War 2 against fascism. That alliance ended up giving them Poland and half of Germany for the next 50 years. Wouldn't it have been better if those countries could have regained their freedom after the Nazis were gone? 
The west had the atom bomb for crying out loud. They could have turned Berlin into a glass parking lot.
Not trusting in their own ability sacrificed two generations of innocent people to dictatorship.
Just as they sacrificed millions and millions of innocent people to the brutality of apartheid.

Neither sacrifice was necessary and both harmed the liberal democratic ideal (which has nothing to do with the PFP - it means democratic countries with civil liberties) by discrediting its ideals of freedom and making it look hypocritical. 
It's the best system of government we have it deserves to be defended by people who truly respect its ideals uncompromisingly.