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.
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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.