The post-September 11th and the increase in the American government’s expenditure for foreign aid

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In the wake of the September 11th terrorist attacks, and to the surprise of many, President Bush is embracing foreign aid. The Bush Administration is increasing US military aid to allies in the « war against terrorism », assisting in the reconstruction of Afghanistan, expanding the size of the Peace Corps, rejoining UNESCO and, most unexpectedly, announcing big initiatives to fight HIV/AIDS and promote economic growth in developing countries. An emerging concern, however, is that the rhetoric of the Bush announcements will not be matched by real dollars in the near term. A closer look at the Bush aid initiatives reveals that major new spending must still be requested from Congress ; spending for most new proposals would be spread over several years, existing funding and programs have been re-packaged and presented as « new », and the Administration plans to make new development aid contingent on recipient countries meeting tough criteria. –Summary AFRI-2003