Foreign Aid

Foreign aid takes many forms. There is financial aid in the form of grants, loans, and forgiveness of debt.There is also humanitarian aid which can be monetary or the supply of actual goods. Lastly, aid may be of a military nature, with arms, technology, intelligence, and ultimately, personnel. Each may be warranted, depending upon the circumstances.
I believe that financial aid should be made available to those nations in dire need. I don't, however, believe in writing a blank check. If money is needed, monies should be allocated and earmarked toward some sustainable purpose. Building infrastructures, agricultural development, and targeted investments in industry are ideal. The preferred method of disbursement would be interest free loans. I have very strong feelings about interest, which I will detail in a future post. In short, many of the nations who have received loans with interest from America and other nations have later had that debt forgiven anyway. Forgiveness of debt would only result from an exhaustive review of the recipient nation's ability to repay along with other diplomatic considerations. Grants would very seldom be used and only in extreme cases, like to aid a nation ravaged by war.
More often, I think humanitarian aid should be made available whener possible to nations in need. Money may also be used to provide humanitarian aid, but only when actual goods are unattainable. Better than money, however, is the actual goods that are needed. They can only be used for their intended purpose. With actual goods, there is less opportunity for misuse and corruption. I strongly support strategies to encourage self-reliance.
Finally, is the use of force. Peacekeeping forces are often needed in many parts of the world. Our various treaties and alliances even mandate the offering of troops and arms, and we should honor our existing commitments. However, the deployment of weapons of war, and the brave men and women who wield them, should only be in the most extreme circumstances. I oppose the current American policies of empiricism and preemption. Disagreement or dislike of a foreign government or ruler is absolutely insufficient justification for placing troops in harm's way. America should begin to respect the soverignty of nations with whom we disagree. I respect the ability of the world's governing bodies to determine whether peacekeeping troops are needed. A very careful examination of the present and future consequences of providing military aid is always necessary.
I support intervention to end confirmed instances of genocide, such as in Nazi Germany, Rwanda, and Sudan. Genocide should not be defined by numbers alone, but intent. Mass murder should not be ignored, of course, but diplomacy is a more appropriate tool. Mass murders which took place in Stalinist Russia, Mao's China, and Hussein's Iraq, which numbered in the millions, do not satis fy this requirement, in my opinion. I could very well be wrong since I'm not an historian.