The U.S. Agency for International Development makes for an inviting political target. I recall reporting about the absurdities of American aid efforts in Afghanistan, which later became part of a series by my successor, Ben Arnoldy. The amount of waste through naivete and incompetence was shocking.

But everything in Ned Temko’s Patterns column today is also true. In a different way, I saw this firsthand when I returned to the United States. Black-and-white solutions give the impression of action. But they also involve a false simplicity. The Monitor’s job is to help us all think more deeply.

Also, a programming note: Monday is the Presidents Day federal holiday in the United States, so your next Daily will arrive Tuesday morning, Feb. 18.