When I served as U.S. ambassador to Myanmar, the question I hated most was whether I was optimistic or pessimistic about the country's future. 'Neither,' I'd respond. 'I'm realistic.' In foreign policy, it behooves one to avoid both euphoria and fatalism.
After 50 years of brutal military dictatorship, the country underwent a dramatic if fragile democratic opening during the 2010s... the quasi-military government released scores of political prisoners, liberalized civil society, eased media restrictions, and held landmark elections in 2015.
The United States and its partners applauded these developments and, with good reason, took pride in helping advance them. Myanmar became an early test of Barack Obama's inaugural vow that his administration would 'extend the hand' to those countries that would 'unclench [their] fist.'
Yet things in Myanmar have gone drastically sideways in recent years. Myanmar's military perpetrated a genocide (of the Rohingya people) in 2016-17.
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