The Empire in the Mirror: What America Doesn’t See About Itself Abroad

Introduction: Watching the Eagle From Afar

Growing up outside the United States, America wasn’t just a country. It was a myth.

It was the country of “freedom,” of civil rights marches, Silicon Valley dreams, Hollywood revolutions, and rock 'n roll. It was the nation that inspired dissidents, students, and social reformers around the world. And yet, when I began working in foreign affairs reporting and policy analysis, I saw a different America — one that often partners with autocrats, shields war criminals, and backs coups when it suits its economic or strategic interests.

The contrast was jarring.

I decided to write this not as a condemnation — but as a reflection. A reckoning. Because the people of the United States are often misled, misinformed, or kept in the dark about what their country does abroad — and why that matters more now than ever.

1. “Do You Hate America?” — The Most Common Question I Get

Whenever I speak at panels or conferences in the U.S., there’s a moment when someone leans forward and, in a slightly defensive tone, asks:

“So... do you hate America?”

It’s a revealing question. It assumes that critique must come from hostility, that disagreement with policy is a denial of a nation’s principles. But that assumption itself betrays a dangerous blind spot — the idea that America is its values, and therefore cannot be accused of hypocrisy without the accuser being an enemy.

But here’s the truth: I don’t hate America. I admire it enough to wish it would live up to its promises.

2. The Democracy Dilemma: Friends in the Wrong Places

The United States spends billions every year promoting democracy. It funds NGOs, monitors elections, and publicly praises democratic movements — in theory.

But in practice?

• In Saudi Arabia, a monarchy where women only recently gained limited freedoms and dissidents are jailed or murdered, America sells weapons, trains troops, and looks the other way.
• In Egypt, the military dictator Abdel Fattah el-Sisi receives billions in U.S. aid — even as journalists are jailed and torture runs rampant.
• In Pakistan, the military has repeatedly interfered in civilian politics — and U.S. policy often works through those military channels instead of strengthening democratic institutions.

Why does this happen? Simple: Strategic alliances trump democratic consistency. America supports governments that help it contain China, access trade routes, or buy weapons — not necessarily ones that align with its values.

3. The Pakistan Puzzle: Ally, Proxy, or Pawn?

Since 1947, U.S.-Pakistan relations have been a rollercoaster of contradictions.

• In the 1950s and 60s, the U.S. courted Pakistan as an anti-communist ally during the Cold War.
• In the 1980s, the CIA worked with Pakistan’s military intelligence (ISI) to funnel arms to Afghan mujahideen — some of whom later morphed into the Taliban and Al-Qaeda.
• In the post-9/11 era, Pakistan was both a “major non-NATO ally” and a country where Osama bin Laden was found hiding in plain sight.

Today, relations are cooler — but far from irrelevant.

The recent meeting between former President Donald Trump and Pakistan’s Army Chief General Asim Munir was highly symbolic. It wasn’t just a courtesy call — it was a signal that the U.S. establishment still sees the military, not civilians, as the real power in Pakistan. And that has consequences.

How can Washington claim to support democracy while endorsing military dominance in a country where voters are repeatedly ignored, silenced, or crushed?

4. The Economic Carrot: Is a New Deal Coming?

While headlines rarely focus on it, there is a nascent economic realignment taking shape between the U.S. and Pakistan. Quiet negotiations around clean energy investment, supply chain diversification, and counter-terror finance have been underway.

The motive? The U.S. wants to reduce China’s grip on key trade routes and digital infrastructure in Asia. Pakistan, deeply indebted to Beijing via CPEC (China-Pakistan Economic Corridor), is looking for ways to hedge its bets.

The White House sees opportunity. So does Pakistan’s elite. But will the benefits trickle down to the people? Will workers, students, and the poor see anything other than debt restructuring and hollow promises?

This remains the fundamental question. For once, the U.S. has a chance to help build up democratic resilience — not just buy off its strategic location.

5. The View from Abroad: Why This Matters to Americans

“Why should we care?”

That’s another question I hear often.

Here’s why:

Every time America preaches democracy but supports repression, people around the world grow cynical. They lose faith in international institutions. They stop trusting that human rights mean anything. And that disillusionment feeds authoritarianism, extremism, and even anti-American violence.

Foreign policy isn’t just a chess game. It shapes minds, movements, and morale.

America's hypocrisy is not just embarrassing — it's dangerous.

6. A Moment of Reckoning — And a Choice

We are at an inflection point. Global power is shifting. The world’s largest democracy (India) is sliding into authoritarian populism. China is creating an alternate global order. Wars in Gaza and Ukraine are redefining alliances.

And the United States? It still has immense power — but also a bruised reputation.

The next generation of U.S. policymakers has a choice: double down on cynical alliances, or recommit to the very ideals they claim to uphold.

If America wants to lead, it must do so not just with power, but with principle.

7. Final Thought: The Mirror Test

A nation, like a person, should occasionally look in the mirror. Not to admire itself — but to reflect.

America, for all its flaws, remains one of the few countries that still tries to articulate a global moral vision. That’s rare. That’s precious. But it’s also fragile.

If that vision becomes hollow — if it becomes mere branding — then the myth dies. And with it, the hope that something better can be built.

So no, I don’t hate America.

I just want it to see itself clearly — because I believe it’s still worth believing in.