Facing Severe Medical Shortages In The War Against The Pandemic, U.S. Freezes International Coronavirus Aid

U.S. President Donald Trump, flanked by U.S. Vice President Mike Pence and FEMA Administrator Pete Gaynor, speaks during a news conference, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Washington D.C., U.S., March 22, 2020. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas

Politico: Pence task force freezes coronavirus aid amid backlash

The review came after officials discovered that aid to foreign countries wasn't being coordinated with U.S. requests.

Last week, a Trump administration official working to secure much-needed protective gear for doctors and nurses in the United States had a startling encounter with counterparts in Thailand.

The official asked the Thais for help—only to be informed by the puzzled voices on the other side of the line that a U.S. shipment of the same supplies, the second of two so far, was already on its way to Bangkok.

Read more....

WNU Editor: The epicentre of the pandemic is now in the U.S.. With projections saying that hundreds of thousands of Americans may die in the coming weeks/months, now is not the time to ship vitally needed medical supplies to other countries who are not at the same level of crisis that the U.S. is in right now. The other countries will understand, and concerns that they will not is being overblown.

Arab States Are Confident That President Trump Will Not Cut Aid To Them For Defying His Embassy Move To Jerusalem

Members of the United Nations Security Council vote on an Egyptian-drafted resolution regarding recent decisions concerning the status of Jerusalem, during a meeting on the situation in the Middle East, including Palestine, at U.N. Headquarters in New York City, New York, U.S., December 18, 2017. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid

Reuters: Arab states believe U.S. aid secure despite defying Trump Jerusalem move

AMMAN/CAIRO (Reuters) - Leading Arab allies threatened with cuts in aid by Donald Trump said on Friday they had no choice but to defy the U.S. president over his recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, and did not believe he would follow through.

More than 120 countries, including every Arab nation, voted at the U.N. General Assembly late on Thursday to urge the United States to withdraw its decision, announced earlier this month.

Trump threatened to cut off financial aid to countries that voted in favor of the U.N. resolution, drafted by Egypt and supported by all members of the U.N. Security Council except Washington.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: I think everyone is missing the real reason why President Trump threatened to cut off financial aid to countries that voted in favor of the U.N. resolution condemning the U.S. decision to move its embassy to Jerusalem. It was to not only tap into growing American public frustrations over what some perceive to be a world of freeloaders when it comes to U.S. foreign aid, but President Trump's threat was to also start the debate on what should be the purpose of American aid, and under what conditions and expectations it be given under. Howard LaFranchi has a good analysis on this discussion, and it can be read here .... In overwhelming UN vote on Jerusalem, a reality test for Trump's tough talk (Howard LaFranchi, CSM).

U.S. Foreign Military Aid Primarily Goes To Two Countries

(Click on Image to Enlarge)

CNN: Seventy-five percent of U.S. foreign military financing goes to two countries

(CNN)American taxpayers doled out $5.9 billion in foreign military financing in 2014, according to the government's Foreign Assistance report -- that's roughly the GDP of Somalia. But where did the money go?

To the usual suspects, mostly -- Israel ($3.1B) and Egypt ($1.3B) received roughly 75% of all foreign military aid money handed out by the U.S. last year.

This map from the cost-information website howmuch.net shows the relative size of countries based on how much U.S. military aid they receive.

WNU Editor: Israel is now requesting $5 billion in aid (from $3.1 billion) .... or almost the entire U.S. foreign military aid budget .... U.S. officials - Israel wants up to $5 billion in annual military aid (Reuters)

So Much For Smart Power

American soldiers carry relief supplies for families affected by a typhoon in the Philippines in 2006 (Courtesy Reuters/Romeo Ranoco).

Aid In A Time Of Austerity: Adios, Smart Power -- Kori Schake, Foreign Policy

The Senate version of the foreign assistance bill is taking shape, and it is commendable for being both sound and a broadly bipartisan approach, even though it signals the death knell of the Obama administration's commitment to "smart power." The Subcommittee on Foreign Operations yesterday approved $52 billion in foreign assistance, only 2 percent less than this year's spending. That is an amazing commitment to help other countries and shape the international order, given that the United States will have to borrow $20.8 billion of that money.

Read more ....

My Comment: Everyone loves to play "Santa Claus" .... especially politicians with people's money. But ..... America's growing debt crisis is growing, and as a result we should expect more cases like this one.

World Aid Donors Gather In South Korea To Plot Strategy Amid Economic Crisis

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon speaks at opening session of Fourth High-Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness in Busan. UN News Centre

Global Leaders Gather In SKorea Amid Financial Jitters For World’s Premier Aid Forum -- Washington Post/AP

SEOUL, South Korea — Thousands of government and private aid officials converge this week on the port city of Busan for a summit aimed at making sure billions of dollars in global aid money gets to the people who need it most.

The world’s premier development aid forum — the fourth of its kind since 2003 — starts Tuesday and comes at a sensitive time for those pushing to better coordinate efforts to help the poor.

Read more ....

More News On The World Aid Forum In South Korea

At aid forum, Ban urges countries to not turn their backs on the world’s poor -- UN News Centre
International Conference in South Korea to Assess Effectiveness, Impact of Aid -- Voice of America
World aid donors plot strategy amid economic crisis -- Reuters
From rags to riches, South Korea hosts forum on international aid -- L.A. Times
Global donors plot better ways to spend aid billions -- AFP
Clinton: Aid for world’s poor is national security priority even during economic turmoil -- Washington Post/AP
China pulls out of aid partnership -- The Guardian
Rwanda demands end to tied aid -- The Guardian

Why Are We Giving Aid To Countries Like This?

Of Top Ten U.S. Aid Recipients, Only One Voted for U.N. Resolution on Iran’s Human Rights Abuses -- CNS News

A U.N. General Assembly committee has passed a draft resolution condemning the human rights situation in Iran by a larger margin than in past years, although there are still more countries either opposing the measure or abstaining than there are willing to vote in favor.

By 86 votes to 32, with 59 abstentions, the committee on Monday approved a text that “expresses deep concern at serious ongoing and recurring human rights violations in the Islamic Republic of Iran.” The text also cites a wide range of violations.

Read more .....

My Comment: In the context of past votes .... this is actually an improvement. In the past, regimes like Iran would have been given a pass by a majority of the members in the United Nations. Today .... there are no longer such guarantees.

Where Some Of Our Foreign Aid Money Goes

Embarrassing Moment Playboy Son Of A African Dictator Has £5Million In Supercars Seized From Outside His Home -- Daily Mail

Eleven supercars worth up to £5 million pounds have been seized from outside an African dictator’s Paris mansion as part of a foreign aid money-laundering investigation.

The vehicles, which included two Bugatti Veyrons, a Ferrari 599 GTO and a Maserati MC12 are all registered to Teodoro Obiang Nguema, the president of Equatorial Guinea.

Read more ....

My Comment: Unbelievable .... but not surprising.

Poverty Does Not Breed Extremism -- An Analysis

Report: Poverty Does Not Breed Extremism -- Fareed Zakaria, CNN

Since 9/11, a decade ago, Washington has given the government of Pakistan more than $20 billion in aid. Two- thirds of that has gone to the military to fight the war on terror. The other third, about $6 billion, has gone for development of Pakistan's civilian economy and society.

The theory behind many of those billions of dollars is that by bringing Pakistan's poorest out of poverty and despair, fewer young men will be seduced by radical Islam.

Read more ....

My Comment: I am usually in disagreement with Fareed Zakaria .... but in this post he hits it on the head of the nail when he talks about U.S. aid to Pakistan. On top of that, some are also saying that US aid could (in fact) be destabilizing Afghanistan in the long term .... that article is here.

Some Countries Do Not Deserve Foreign Aid

U.S. Offers Foreign Aid to Countries Holding Billions in Treasury Securities -- FOX News

The United States is providing hundreds of millions of dollars of foreign aid to countries that it borrows billions from, according to a report by Congress's research arm.

The Congressional Research Services released a report last month, a copy of which Fox News exclusively obtained, showing that in fiscal year 2010, the latest year that data was available, the U.S. handed out a total of $1.4 billion to 16 foreign countries that held at least $10 billion in Treasury securities, including China ($27.2 million), Brazil ($25 million), Russia ($71.5 million), India ($126.6 million), Mexico ($316.7 million) and Egypt ($255.7 million).

Read more ....

My Comment: Two things surprised me in this report .... (1) Egypt holding $15.3 billion in U.S. Treasury bills, and (2) the U.S. wants to give more.

Being An International Aid Worker Is Becoming A Dangerous Job

Sri Lanka, Iraq, Pakistan, Democratic Republic of Congo and occupied Palestinian territories are tough for aid workers. AFP

Violence Against Aid Workers Has Surged, Report Says -- L.A. Times

Violent attacks against humanitarian aid workers have tripled during the last decade, with more than 100 deaths reported annually, according to a study commissioned by the United Nations.

Violent attacks against humanitarian aid workers have tripled during the last decade, with more than 100 deaths reported annually, according to a study commissioned by the United Nations.

The report shows that the highest toll has been among aid workers in areas of armed conflict, including Afghanistan, Sudan and Somalia. Since 2005, there have been 180 major attacks against aid workers in Afghanistan, 150 in Sudan and 100 in Somalia, according to the report released this week called "To Stay and Deliver."

Read more ....

More News On the Dangers Of Being An International Aid Worker

U.N. highlights attacks on aid workers -- UPI
Attacks and interference heighten humanitarian risks -- AFP
Violent attacks against humanitarian workers triple in last decade: OCHA study -- People's Daily Online
UN report says more than 100 aid workers killed annually, neutrality can help -- Washington Post
UN: More than 100 aid workers die every year -- M&C
UN declares Pakistan, Afghanistan insecure for aid workers -- Central Asia Online

Corruption At A Major Foreign Aid Organization Raises Concerns About Other Aid Groups

Tarnished Aid Fund Says Others In Worse Shape -- Washington Times/AP

GENEVA | A $21.7 billion health fund championed by the rich and famous has come under harsh scrutiny amid revelations that it's bleeding money to corruption. But fund officials and outside analysts in the field have a stark message for global development: Other aid agencies are in much worse shape.

"The others should follow our lead," the fund's inspector general, John Parsons, said Monday at a news conference organized by the fund's top officials to discuss an Associated Press story about $34 million in losses in several African nations.

Read more ....

My Comment: Foreign aid is one of those many tools that not only alleviates world suffering, but it also helps to stabilize regions that would otherwise descend into conflict and war. Any disruption in aid .... through corruption or incompetence .... would only escalate any possibility of conflict.

Some NGOs Implicated (Again) In Supporting Terror Organizations

Daniel Sierra Martinez, Nelly Avila Moreno and Nicolas Montoya, former members of FARC, the Colombian terrorist group. Getty Images

The FARC And The 'Peace Community' -- Wall Street Journal

In Colombia, a former guerrilla commander says that in "peace communities" controlled by NGOs, the population was exploited and peace-niks helped the terrorists.

As the U.S. prepares to send 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan on a mission that will include defending a civilian population in a narco-economy, Colombia's experience with drug traffickers and terrorism may be instructive.

The testimony of the former second in command of the 5th Front of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), which operates in the banana-growing, drug-trafficking region known as Urabá, could serve as Lesson One.

Read more ....

My Comment: The same can be said about Hamas in the Gaza strip, and the support that they receive from NGOs. Hundreds of millions flow into Gaza each year in the form of aid and assistance, but the people who administer this trade .... and who are paid for their efforts .... are Hamas members.

Foreign Officials Fear Cuts In Aid

From The Washington Times:

GENEVA | Humanitarian aid officials fear that rich nations will slash foreign aid budgets next year because of the financial meltdown, putting at risk millions of vulnerable people in need of life-saving assistance.

"The global financial crisis has raised inevitable concerns that there could be a decline in humanitarian funding for 2009. I urge member states and private donors not to let that happen," said U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in launching an appeal for $7 billion.

Read more ....

A New Mission For The U.S. Military?

Assault Ship Diverted for Storm Relief: Sign
of Things to Come? -- Danger Room

A month after the USS Kearsarge assault ship (pictured) sailed from Norfolk, Virginia, on a four-month humanitarian mission to Latin America, the 840-foot ship is being diverted to Haiti in order to help with recovery efforts following last week's hurricanes.

In one sense, the rapid shift is all part of the concept. Kearsarge's mission is, after all, meant to be a "learning experience," Commodore Frank Ponds told me during my two-week stay on the ship in the Nicaragua phase. The cruise is an early exercise in a new Latin American "soft-power" strategy brainstormed by an innovative admiral. I explored Admiral James Stavridis' strategy in a piece for The Washington Times' Sunday magazine:

Read more ....

My Comment: Soft power at work by helping to save lives. There is nothing wrong with this strategy.