Proposed Program Would Remodel Foreign Aid

[Rose Siding]

WASHINGTON -- Secretary of State Colin Powell calls it the most promising development in foreign assistance in decades. That is quite a claim for a program that has yet to disburse its first dollar. But it is clear that President Bush's Millennium Challenge Account, first proposed 2 1/2 years ago, represents a fresh approach to helping countries overcome economic backwardness.

The fund's premise is simple: If a poor country demonstrates a commitment to govern justly, promotes economic freedom and invests in its people, it may be entitled to U.S. dollars.

In other words, the Bush administration view is that little good comes from pouring aid into a country that pursues bad policies.
....
Of 70 countries that meet administration eligibility requirements based on need, 16 made the cut for receiving aid: Armenia, Benin, Bolivia, Cape Verde, Georgia, Ghana, Honduras, Lesotho, Madagascar, Mali, Mongolia, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Senegal, Sri Lanka and the Pacific Island nation of Vanuatu.

http://www.newsday.com/news/politics/wire/sns-ap-remodeling-foreign-aid,0,2150527.story?coll=sns-ap-politics-headlines

[Sindawe]

1. Sounds good on paper..

I see no reason the U.S. should pour $$$ into poorly run, abusive and corrupt .govs elsewhere (we got that here). The rub is going to be in the execution. Will our .gov follow through with this stated ideal, or will we/it continue to send $$$ to poorly run, abusive and corrupt .govs so long as they further our own ends?

[Tempest]

2. Lipstick on a pig

Bush still doles out billions in military aid to countries who don't make the list.

Uzbekistan for example.


This is just a political ploy so that Americans will "feel good" about who's getting aid.

And like sheep, Americans won't look below the surface.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

3. "Promote economic freedom" is a codeword for

"let U.S. corporations use their people as sweatshop employees without interference from pesky workers' rights laws or taxes."

[Rose Siding]

4. Or must they join any "coalition" that we tell them to join?

I wonder if all 16 countries signed on to Iraq.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

5. Hmm, good question

:shrug: