Subscribe to RSSForeign aid wasted on hostile nations
By Natasha Reeves
The recent events that unfolded, and shook both the east and west, have stirred up a storm of controversies; one of which includes the debate on whether or not Libya and Egypt should continue getting U.S. foreign aid. The debate comes after the eruption of violence and the murder of a U.S. ambassador and three other Americans in the Middle East.
U.S foreign aid to places like Egypt and Libya is approximately $1.5 billion a year. “I think until we have the assassins who killed our Ambassador and until both countries, Libya and Egypt, can verify they can provide support and protection for our embassies, I see no reason to keep sending our money,” said Senator Rand Paul in an interview with CNN. Foreign aid builds stronger diplomatic relationships, but a number of questions remain outstanding: do we have the money to aid other countries? And why spend money on countries that treat the U.S. with violence and hostility?
According to candidate Barry Hinckley, a poll conducted in Egypt revealed that 80 percent of Egyptians do not want to receive monetary aid from the U.S. “The American people are very generous, but we also recognize the insanity of going deeper into debt for the sake of a country that can’t even take the basic step of guaranteeing the safety of American diplomatic personnel,” stated Hinckley.
Foreign aid should be at least withdrawn from Libya until the murderers are arrested; it should be withdrawn from Egypt until they show the disposition and means to protect our embassy. The riots and murders were caused by extremists, and not the government officials or the general public. Libya’s and Egypt’s failure to control their extremists and protect our embassies brings up concerns about their nation’s sentiments toward ours.
Perhaps it is time for the U.S. to reduce foreign aid, especially in places we are on thin ice with. “We don’t have any money to spend, we are bankrupt,” Paul said. It is a burden for tax-payers to see their money go to other country’s support while we need it is much needed domestically. “We are borrowing the money that we send overseas,” Paul stated.
Egypt and Libya are giving signs of aggression towards the U.S. and there is no good reason to continue our financial support. The U.S. needs to stabilize its economy first before sending money to other countries.
