The United States Built a Global Dream — Now It’s Letting It Slip Away
Why America’s Secret Weapon Was Never Its Military
The Channel 4 documentary The Killing Fields of Sri Lanka opens with a haunting scene: civilians in Jaffna, desperate and terrified, gathering at the gates of the United Nations compound, pleading with the UN not to abandon them. Within hours of that footage, most of them would be killed by advancing Sri Lankan forces. The government had revoked diplomatic visas and ordered all NGOs, including the UN and the Red Cross, to leave. For those trapped in the war zone, the UN’s presence symbolized more than humanitarian aid — it was a lifeline, an embodiment of Western diplomacy and, in particular, the power and protection that many associated with the United States. The belief, however fragile, was that as long as the UN stayed, there would be oversight, justice, and perhaps even safety.
Growing up in South Asia, I witnessed firsthand the profound impact of American soft power — often projected through international institutions, development aid, and cultural al…
