Oppression: check (how many US laws can make us criminals, as opposed to before?). Torture: check (Guantanamo). Disappearance of opposition activists: check (kept on the low-down). Killing of peaceful demonstrators: check (oops, it was just an accident, righhhht...). Imprisonment of medics: check (FDA going after alternative medicine doctors)

Now I know the above isn't as blatant as dictatorial regimes but pain is still pain, dead is still dead, despite the delivery method. It's always a means to an end. The only thing the US cares about is it's reputation, whereas other dictatorships only care about maintaining their position of power for as long as possible before the next coup d'etat.