Two Important Washington Post Items Today
House Works to Trim Overseas Spending by Joby Warrick and Mary Beth Sheridan. BLUF: “Legislation that would sharply cut U.S. foreign aid programs and slash support for family planning advanced Wednesday in the Republican-controlled House, drawing protests from State Department officials and relief agencies.”
Clinton Blasts Bill Restricting Foreign Aid by Mary Beth Sheridan. BLUF: “The bill ‘would be debilitating to my efforts to carry out a considered foreign policy and diplomacy, and to use foreign assistance strategically to that end,’ Clinton wrote Tuesday to members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.”
Secretary Clinton is spot on here. The bill is a knee-jerk reaction to perceived slights by some so called allies compounded by pressures brought on by the debt ceiling debate and deadline. Okay, you don’t want another Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, etal? Then you invest an ounce of prevention to avoid a pound of cure (DOS, USAID, USIP, more…). Why can’t we get this, after so many years and so many needless adventures that cost us dearly in terms of national treasure?
