Thursday, April 18, 2002

When I saw the title of this article, I thought 'uh-oh'. Someone else telling us to give all our wealth away. But, it is actually a well thought out piece. The author does not fall into the trap of denouncing the US's foreign aid policy based on the percent of GDP. It is mentioned, but offset by pointing out that in real dollar amount we are second to Japan, who is going to lower their aid over the next few years. Unfortunately, he does not bring up private capital flows and it's relation to development in developing and transition countries.

Nor does he say that poverty caused September 11th. It did not. Bin Laden and the men who carried out the attacks were not poor, but the masses in the streets cheering and calling for Jihad are. And we would be foolish to not address the issue. We say "poverty does not breed terrorism" then we turn around and rail against Saddam for his handouts to the families of terrorists because we fear it will bring more. Being poor does not make one desire to become a terrorist, but being poor and fed a daily diet of hate-filled rhetoric and offered some cash rewards for participation, at some level, in terror could definitly be a route to terrorism. Militant Islam is an issue that needs be addressed but, there are other preemptive measures to be taken to innoculate people from a terrorism. Helping countires become more prosperous and self-sufficient should be a part of that.

This is where I most deviate from from the Libertarian line. I firmly believe that foreign aid is important and should be used to help countries that show the desire and determination to enter the world economy as a self-sufficient nation. It should be tailored to each nation. A single cure all will not work everywhere. Argentina does not need our money, they need a team of government and economic advisors to set things straight. Someplace like Afghanistan needs alot of material support in the near term, which we and the world are trying to provide. Additionally, the US has announced that we will be working on getting the agriculture to the point of self-sufficiency in the near future. Make no mistake, I do not hold the Kofi Annan and Bono line that we should hand out everything we have and expect to recieve no compensation for loans made. And of course we should make no massive aid infusions to governments that threaten or provide havens for those who threaten us. Basic direct humanitarian aid should be given, but nothing more.

By aiding these countries achieve a productive place in the world's economy or even an ability to survive and proper domestically, the end result will help America. They will no longer need assistance to survive and any competition (provided our government stops with the anti-competitive tarriffs) will help stimulate our economy. And any nation that meets the basic criteria of not being a state that is a terrorist or harbors terrorists and is at least neutrally disposed toward the US would, once, self-sufficient be a place where the lure of terrorist's money would not hold sway.

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