Saturday, January 3, 2004
Interesting and positive move on the part of the Administration. Expect internationalists and UN fans to cry that this isn't worthwhile because it only serves US interests, and involves interference in foreign sovereign states. Well of course, but then , they don't need to take the money, either.
(Via LGF) Yahoo! News - U.S. to Begin New Approach on Foreign Aid
The program will favor countries whose governments are judged to be just rulers, welcoming hosts for foreign investment and promoters of projects to meet their people's basic health and education needs.
Corrupt police states need not apply.
Administration officials expect this year to inaugurate President Bush (news - web sites)'s plan, known as the Millennium Challenge Account, which he outlined in March 2002.
It contemplated $5 billion annually for the program starting in 2006, a 50 percent increase over the base foreign aid budget of $10 billion.
The administration had hoped for $1.3 billion for the current budget year, which began Oct. 1, as a starter; Congress has provided nothing so far but is expected to approve $1 billion after it reconvenes this month.
Bush's initiative came six months after the Sept. 11 attacks and clearly has a national security component.
"Poverty, weak institutions and corruption can make weak states vulnerable to terrorist networks and drug cartels within their borders," according to Bush's National Security Strategy report from September 2002.
Andrew Natsios, administrator of the Agency for International Development, calls it "a revolutionary new development initiative."
Based on long decades of experience, Natsios said, "money will not solve the problem of bad policy" but can accelerate progress in countries with enlightened governments...
Charles asks:
And that's the billion dollar question isn't it? To what level will this program be politicized to include people the Administration feels it needs to coddle, as with China's MFN status, and State's covering for Saudi Arabia's religious tyrrany?
Nevertheless, it is a potentially exciting development, and Bush has the clout as a leader who shows he understands the use of the stick to use a carrot like this without it coming off as a simple facade on yet another American give-away.
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