Sri Lanka, Nov. 4 -- The successful visit of US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo may have surprised detractors, but it did not surprise those who know of the good relations between the US and Sri Lanka in the past. J.R. Jayewardene was feted by Ronald Reagan on the White House lawn. The two were cut from the same cloth - unabashedly right wing, old-school. Reagan was the ultimate Conservative, and the great communicator, and JR the firm believer in the power of the US to do good and deliver on curbing terrorism, above all.

Years later, some pointed to past points of tension in relations between Sri Lanka and the US and ran away with the idea that these relations were irreparably damaged. But this ancient country has had good relations with...