Militarization of U.S. Foreign Aid

The Washington Post today reports

U.S. aid to Africa is becoming increasingly militarized, resulting in skewed priorities and less attention to longer-term development projects that could lead to greater stability across the continent, according to a report released Thursday by the advocacy group Refugees International.

The article also notes:

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates warned this week against the risk of a "creeping militarization" of U.S. foreign policy and said the State Department should lead U.S. engagement with other countries.

The Pentagon, which controlled about 3 percent of official aid money a decade ago, now controls 22 percent, while the U.S. Agency for International Development's share has declined from 65 percent to 40 percent, according to the 56-page report.

Comment: It seems very likely that the division of the foreign aid efforts of the United States in this way must make them less efficient and less cost effective.

The management of foreign assistance is not easy, and is not likely to be well done by inexperienced people, or by people who do not thoroughly understand the recipient people and their society. I am not sure that even USAID continues to be adequately staffed to do a good job. However, it seems very unlikely that the other agencies that are now dispensing aid are better equipped to do it well.

The increasing number of people advocating "soft diplomacy" with a strong component of foreign aid are doing so under the assumption that good will expressed in help will convince others that we want their friendship, and in so doing gain that friendship. Making foreign aid an instrument of military power or other coercive efforts will not achieve that end. JAD



P.S. Incidentally, the recent announcements that the Senate and House of Representatives have passed bills authorizing $50 billion for AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria should not be misunderstood. That is over a five year period. It sets a limit on how much can be appropriated for the program, but the actual appropriations will be done year by year during that period. I would guess that, given the economic situation we face today, much less will actually be appropriated for these worthy programs. JAD