In 2014, Patrick Cronin wrote “USAID & the National Interest,” where he defended the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) from broad criticisms but acknowledged the need for further planning and oversight. In the wake of recent discussions on the role of soft power in U.S. foreign policy, we invited Patrick back to reflect on his article. Read more below: Image: U.S. Embassy New Zealand In your 2014 article, “USAID & the National Interest,” you cleared up some of the misconceptions surrounding USAID, as the once third highest-ranking official in the agency. Ten years after your original article was written,
