Friday, March 09, 2007

U.S. aid and Latin America

President Bush keeps insisting that the U.S. deserves more credit for what it does in Latin America:

"And yet we don't get much credit for it," Bush told CNN's Spanish-language network. "And I want the taxpayers, I want the American people to get credit for their generosity in Central and South America."

Yet both the Latin America Working Group and Adam Isacson have shown very clearly that the administration’s claims are false. That fact is now making its way into the mainstream media. In particular, much of the increase of aid is military in nature, and aimed at only a few countries, especially Colombia.

This seems indicative of the administration’s general problem with Latin America. Its claims to paying attention—combined with demanding credit—are based on evidence so flimsy that it is refuted before his trip even gets going. In short, the administration pays so little attention to Latin America that it believes it can fudge numbers and everyone will smile and say, “Thank you, O Great American Taxpayers, for your generosity.”

2 comments:

boy with a ball 2:24 PM  

Your point is unfortunately right on. I met recently with USAID in Mexico City and watched as they explained an aid program that included as one of it's highest achievements...a visiting scholar program.

It seemed almost unfathomable that the U.S. govt. would be voting in a massive investment in building a wall to keep Mexicans out while not doing what would really help keep them from coming...community development, youth development, etc.

Mexico City's population of over 20 million people has an average age of 14.2 and yet the U.S. is committing almost nothing to help strategically form that massive next generation into a healthier Mexico.
So much for loving your neighbors.
We will have to change this.

Greg Weeks 4:17 PM  

Unfortunately, change is not on the radar.

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