Showing posts with label Lies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lies. Show all posts

Thursday, July 2, 2020

WHEN WILL IT STOP?


FROM WHERE I SIT...

Dwight Eisenhower’s statement
warning of the
Military-Industrial Complex:
This speech was made in January as 
Eisenhower handed the torch to Kennedy.

As we peer into society's future, we – you and I, and our government – must avoid the impulse to live only for today, plundering for our own ease and convenience the precious resources of tomorrow. We cannot mortgage the material assets of our grandchildren without risking the loss also of their political and spiritual heritage. We want democracy to survive for all generations to come, not to become the insolvent phantom of tomorrow.
Until the latest of our world conflicts, the United States had no armaments industry. American makers of plowshares could, with time and as required, make swords as well. But we can no longer risk emergency improvisation of national defense. We have been compelled to create a permanent armaments industry of vast proportions. Added to this, three and a half million men and women are directly engaged in the defense establishment. We annually spend on military security alone more than the net income of all United States corporations.
Now this conjunction of an immense military establishment and a large arms industry is new in the American experience. The total influence—economic, political, even spiritual—is felt in every city, every Statehouse, every office of the Federal government. We recognize the imperative need for this development. Yet, we must not fail to comprehend its grave implications. Our toil, resources, and livelihood are all involved. So is the very structure of our society.
In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist. We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes. We should take nothing for granted. Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals, so that security and liberty may prosper together. Akin to, and largely responsible for the sweeping changes in our industrial-military posture, has been the technological revolution during recent decades.
In this revolution, research has become central, it also becomes more formalized, complex, and costly. A steadily increasing share is conducted for, by, or at the direction of, the Federal government.
The prospect of domination of the nation's scholars by Federal employment, project allocation, and the power of money is ever present and is gravely to be regarded.
Yet in holding scientific discovery in respect, as we should, we must also be alert to the equal and opposite danger that public policy could itself become the captive of a scientific-technological elite.
ALSO:
          - Eisenhower never thought, or meant, our 
            commitment in Southeast Asia to be long term.
         - Then, behind closed doors, Kennedy, under
            pressure from the Military/Industrial Complex
            started increasing our footprint there, while
            everyone swooned over what a beautiful person he
            was.
         - Johnson owed many people political I.O.U.’s and the
           M/I Complex held quite a few. He oversaw a huge                     Military buildup; to over 600,000 Troops.
         - Then, 1968-1969-1970 happened in the U.S.
           Martin Luther King - April 4, 1968, Memphis, TN
           Bobby Kennedy - June 6, 1968, Los Angeles, CA
           Woodstock - August 17, 1969, Woodstock, NY
           Kent State - May 4, 1970, Kent, Ohio
                  *note: I was serving in the Army over that period of time,
                  so I wasn’t in the U.S. and that made it hard to fully         
                  appreciate what was going on back home.



Rich people paying poor people      
to kill other poor people on the
other side of the world. War is
a rich man’s game. All wars are
banker’s wars.




Then we got the Reagan - W. Bush years, and we still insisted on fighting wars in foreign lands. I must say that, since the Vietnam Conflict, the U.S. hasn’t had a very good track record of actually winning or ending our Military Expeditions and National objectives, or our wars. Nobody knows how to formulate an “exit plan” from all our recent conflicts, large and small.
No one can lay blame on the Military’s doorstep. The Military did what they were sent to do, and won the battles. There were, and are, forces at work that have a burning desire to micro-manage every aspect of our war machine, so our men and women in uniform can only do their masters’ bidding.
Who are their masters? That would be the Congress and the Military/Industrial Complex. This Complex is not what you see on the surface. It has many layers and runs deep into our economic system.
1)  The major Manufacturers of our war machine
2)  Subcontractors in this Country & foreign Countries
3)  the weapons design community; including our Universities
4)  etc...........
That is just a brief overview of how this system works. It takes a lot of money to make the production chain work; from raw material sourcing to finished product. All the banks and almost all the producers have shareholders who expect to make money. That is when the bankers arrive to start the ball rolling.
The larger players also have their lobbyists on K Street in Washington DC. During this cycle, there are trillions of dollars changing hands. Where does that money eventually come from? If you guessed the American taxpayer, you would be correct.
I think the hardest pill to swallow is that “We The People” are purposely blocked from having any say in how our money is spent. There is also no accounting or auditing on where and how all these trillions of dollars are spent. Somehow, we have left Congress in charge of allocating these monies in their best interests: not ours. More often than not, our Congress bows to those who donate large sums of money to their reelections.
I feel what it comes down to is there has to be some structural changes in the way our elected officials get elected and what they are restricted from doing once elected.
If you can’t be elected to an office without accepting corporate donations from lobbyists, perhaps you’re in the wrong business. If you come under the spell of the sinister, greedy lobbyists on K Street in DC, a career change is a great option.
The only thing that “We The People” have left to control is the ballot box. A staggering number of Americans opt out of the ballot box; they just stay home and suck their thumbs. Meanwhile their world is crumbling and they don’t have a clue. The best this Country can do is send maybe 60% of eligible voters to the polls in a Presidential election year. This percentages are even worse when it comes to State and local elections.
If American democracy is
to survive, these percentages
must be brought up to
the 90-95% level.

Friday, September 9, 2016

About 450 More US Troops Arrive in Iraq to Back Mosul Drive

No, I guess we don’t have any “Troops” in Iraq; as per the consensus of our politicians and the Department of Defense.
Oops! They let the cat out of the bag, again. The article, below, just came across my News Ticker.....
Military.com
Military.com | Sep 08, 2016 | by Richard Sisk
About 450 more U.S. troops have arrived in Iraq in the past week to support the imminent offensive to drive ISIS from Mosul, the chief U.S. military spokesman in Baghdad said Thursday.
Air Force Col. John Dorrian, spokesman for Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve, declined to give a time frame for the start of the offensive but added, "We're going to have to get started soon" if Mosul is to be wrested from the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria by the end of this year.
Army Lt. Gen. Stephen Townsend, task force commander, appeared to suggest in a Wall Street Journal interview that the Mosul offensive could begin as early as next month to fulfill Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi's prediction that the strategic northwestern city would fall before the end of the year.
However, in a Pentagon briefing from Baghdad, Dorrian denied that Townsend said that the Mosul push would begin in early October.
To support the coming offensive, more than 400 additional U.S. troops have arrived since last week to boost the total number of U.S. troops in Iraq from about 4,000 to 4,460, Dorrian said. The additional troops are from the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, out of Fort Campbell, Kentucky.
The deployment of the 2nd BCT was announced by the Army in August. The troops are expected to be assigned to the Qayyarah West airfield about 40 miles southeast of Mosul, which is being built up as a logistics hub and forward operating base for the Mosul offensive.
Dorrian said more than eight Iraqi Security Force brigades were ready for the Mosul offensive against what is believed to be about 3,000 to 4,500 ISIS defenders.
However, the offensive is temporarily on hold while the Iraqis form and train a follow-on force to occupy the city, provide relief and defend the population, Dorrian said. The size of the follow-on force had yet to be determined, he said.
Townsend predicted a difficult fight to retake the city, Dorrian said. ISIS has held Mosul for more than two years, and "they've had a chance to build intricate defenses."
Townsend, who took over the task force from Lt. Gen. Sean MacFarland three weeks ago, also has responsibility for the campaign to retake Raqqa, the self-proclaimed ISIS capital in northeastern Syria, in what Dorrian described as an "increasingly crowded battlespace" since Turkey sent troops and tanks into northern Syria late last month.
Dorrian said the task now is to "deconflict" the various opposition groups under the banner of the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces from clashing with the Turks, who have closed off the last remaining section of the border that gave ISIS access to resupply and reinforcements by foreign fighters.
The Turkish forces initially clashed with the Syrian Kurdish YPG, or People's Protection Units, which are part of the Syrian Democratic Forces and have been the most effective rebel force against ISIS in Syria.
Dorrian said the clashes have subsided since the YPG met the Turkish demand to move east of the Euphrates River.
"We're glad to see it's been relatively peaceful between those two," he said.
-- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com.
© Copyright 2016  Military.com . All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Sunday, July 10, 2016

Statement by Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert A. McDonald on the Commission on Care Report

From The VA Office of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs
07/06/2016 7 7; 74 AM EDT


WASHINGTON - Today, Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert A. McDonald released the following statement on the Commission on Care final report. The report is available here.
"On behalf of the Nation's 22 million Veterans and the Department of Veterans Affairs, I thank the members of the Commission on Care for their hard work over the past year. The Commission has produced a wide-ranging set of recommendations on reforming the Veterans Health Administration, and VA looks forward to reviewing and considering these recommendations as we ensure that we remain true to our mission to serve and honor the men and women who are America's Veterans.
"While we will examine the report closely over the coming weeks and respond in a more detailed fashion, I am pleased to see that many of their recommendations are in line with our MyVA efforts to transform the VA into a Veteran-centric organization. Necessary transformational progress has been under way for the past two years, increasing access to health care and improving the Veteran experience of VA. This past March, VA set a new record for completed appointments: 5.3 million inside VA, 730,000 more than in March 2014. We also issued twice as many authorizations for care in the community than in March 2014. Clinical workload is up 11 percent in the past two years. Nearly 97 percent of appointments are now completed within 30 days of the Veteran's preferred date; 22 percent are same-day appointments; average wait times are five days for primary care, six days for specialty care, and two days for mental health care. Nearly 90 percent of Veterans surveyed say they are "satisfied or completely satisfied" with the timeliness of their appointments. "However, until all Veterans say they are satisfied, I won't be satisfied. Nobody at VA will be satisfied. But our progress so far proves that VA's current leadership, direction, and momentum can produce the necessary transformation, as VA has already demonstrated in reducing the backlog of disability compensation claims by 90 percent since 2013.
"We know we can't complete the job without help from our partners. For that reason, I look forward to continuing to work with Congress, Veteran advocates, and Veterans themselves to identify further ways to improve VA.
"There are some things that can be done right now to help us continue our progress. Congress must act on our proposals to consolidate our Community Care programs, modernize and reform the claims appeals process, and pass the bi-partisan Veterans First Act. The window of opportunity is closing fast, but if Congress acts before leaving town this month, 2016 will be the year the nation turned the corner for Veterans.
"In the meantime, as we review the recommendations of the Commission, we will continue to look for other ways to build on the progress we've made to date and ensure we are doing everything possible to faithfully serve those who have served this country."

http://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=2800

Friday, June 3, 2016

Veterans in Crisis Mode

June 3, 2016
A PLEA FOR HELP
Our Long Island Veteran Community needs help, and it needs it quickly. Apparently, the Department of Veterans Affairs has begun stripping both our older and younger Veterans of their rightful, earned medical and mental health disability claims. The VA has also come up with a foolproof way of making it nearly impossible for any Veteran to receive medical services; either from the VA Health Administration, or the private sector by manipulating the types of Discharges.
We are talking about men and women who raised their right hands and swore to defend this Country. They did this willingly and with a great sense of pride. The U.S Government also told them that they would be taken care of after they had served their Country. The reality is that, at every turn, both young and old Veterans are being denied benefits, and turned away in alarmingly increasing numbers from the VA Medical Administration.
Everything the public has been fed since the fiasco in Phoenix either is an outright lie, or simply doesn’t work as advertised. It’s all about the money! The “voo-doo” economics of the 1980’s has morphed into “voo-doo” accounting in the 2000’s and the Department of Veterans Affairs is playing it to hilt.
I have been witness to a microcosm of the VA Health Administration’s way of delivering its product to its intended market for forty-five years. I have been enrolled at the VA Medical Center in Northport, NY over that period. I am acquainted with a multitude of highly qualified Veteran enrollees who are well versed in the administrative and building trade disciplines. The recent closing of our Operating suites is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to how grossly mismanaged this Medical Center has been and is currently. As I have read and seen the local news accounts on the subject of our Operating Room closures (plus other Medical Center accounts over the years), I can no longer stand idly by and simple voice my concerns among my fellow Veterans.
I am directly referencing recent articles in Newsday and the New York Times; Martin Evans (Newsday), Valerie Bauman (Newsday), and Kristina Rebelo (New York Times). These Journalists have recently reported on the Operating Room closures and a few other situations at the VAMC, Northport. Newsday’s articles started with a very generous accounting of the situation based on the information being fed from the Medical Center’s Management. Unfortunately, the information disseminated is rife with misleading statements and outright lies. The recent New York Times article was not so complimentary. For the most part, the journalistic accounts indicate that the Press has been “drinking the Kool-Aide” the VA has been serving. Two of our local U.S. Congressmen have not taken a sip of that Kool-Aide, and raised the roof in Washington DC because, they were not informed by the Medical Center, or the VA, about the situation in Northport until two weeks ago; over four months after the closures first occurred. The result was astounding. A visit by the VA’s Under-secretary for Health (May 27, 2016), and suddenly the Medical Center Director found the $32,000.00 to fix the ventilation problem in the air vents feeding the Operating Rooms. Why was that money not found in January when the problem was acknowledged by the Medical Center’s Engineering Department and a VA air quality sub-contractor?

As I mentioned, this is just the tip of a very large iceberg. A short list of other problem areas include: black mold in all the buildings that were built in 1928 (what came out of the duct system in the operating Rooms contained evidence of black mold); the dis-organization of the entire medical structure; the lack of expenditures on all aspects of the facility’s maintenance; and, the total breakdown of employee morale and accountability. The crumbling of this Medical facility at all levels has been happening at an alarming rate over the last two decades, and the Veterans Administration chooses to turn a blind eye. If confronted, they serve up a new round of Kool-Aide for anyone who challenges their fraud against and disrespect for the area’s Veteran community. How this can happen in a Medical Center that is supposed to serve our Veterans is beyond the pale. The VA is steadfastly opposed to having an independent audit and assessment of its practices and of its facility, so a proper audit will probably never happen
As Veterans, we fought to defend this Nation, and, now, we are forced to fight another war at home to secure what was promised us. This overall situation is not right, on so many levels, and needs to a major remedy immediately. I have some cogent thoughts on the subject, and am willing to open a dialogue with anyone who actually cares about how this Nation is treating its Veterans.

Samples of some suggested reading for 2016 (so far):
Vietnam Veterans Magazine 
The American Legion Magazine
The VFW Magazine




_______________________________________
Hutch Dubosque, President
PTSD Veterans Association of Northport, Inc.
10 Woolsey St., Huntington, NY   11743
hutch.dubosque@live.com / 631-223-6107


Tuesday, July 22, 2014

AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL

I really wish that the purveyors of these emails would do a little research and get their facts straight.............Oh, I forgot, they don’t like to confuse anyone with facts. So, after you glance at this “sample” of bullshit, take a gander down below at the real numbers and distribution of our Foreign Aid dollars. And you all wonder why this Nation is going to Hell in a hand basket!?
Here’s a sample of what I get a lot of:
Our military is being cut, our soldiers are having their benefits cut and the government has gone back on its
Promise of free medical care and denying disability to those physically and mentally torn apart for no good reason in political wars!
 Our retired seniors,
Living on a 'fixed income, have their
taxes raised to send to these countries and also are having medical benefits cut.
But, over the last several years THEY
have provided direct cash aid to.....
Hamas - $351 M, Libya $1.45 Billion, Egypt - $397 M, Mexico - $622 M, Russia - $380 M, Haiti - $1.4 Billion, Jordan - $463 M, Kenya - $816 M, Sudan - $870 M, Nigeria - $456 M, Uganda - $451 M, Congo - $359 M, Ethiopia - $981 M, Pakistan - $2 Billion, South Africa - $566 M, Senegal - $698 M, Mozambique - $404 M, Zambia - $331 M, Kazakhstan - $304 M, Iraq - $1.08 Billion, Tanzania - $554 M,
Nor do they get any breaks, while our government And religious organizations will pour Hundreds of Billions Of $$$$$$'s and Tons of Food to Foreign Countries and the illegals and leeches within our borders!
AMERICA: A country where we have - Our brave warriors, damaged for life, waiting in yearlong + for their due, the elderly going without needed medication and the Mentally ill without treatment, and for all of
us, our safety is at risk because prisoners are being released back onto the streets due to "lack of funds -- etc.
Doing their math, you come up with $14.933 billion   ; all going to Africa or Persia (they don’t even know where Persia is). In fact, the U.S. sent approximately $37.680 billion overseas in 2012 for foreign aid, according to Finance Degree Center
It took me all of fifteen minutes to gather the information below!

U. S. Department of State
Fact Sheet
Washington, DC
February 13, 2012
Budget
State and USAID - FY 2013 Budget
The President’s FY 2013 Budget for the Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) strengthens U.S. national security, advances America’s economic interests, and elevates America’s global leadership through diplomacy and development. It supports U.S. businesses, protects Americans at home and abroad, and stops the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. It supports our allies and partners, prevents conflict, promotes democracy, and reflects our core values.
Making up just 1 percent of the U.S. Government’s overall budget, the Department of State/USAID budget totals $51.6 billion. The request provides the most cost-efficient way to ensure diplomats and development experts have the resources necessary to address complex threats to our national security and promote our economic renewal.
Overview of the President’s Budget proposal for State/USAID
Includes $43.4 billion for the core budget, which funds the long-term national security mission of the Department and USAID.
Provides $8.2 billion for Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) to support the extraordinary and temporary costs of civilian-led programs and missions in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.
Supports U.S. engagement with the government and people of 190 countries across the globe.
Builds upon our commitment to job creation at home and economic statecraft by giving our people the tools to better help American companies compete overseas; build future trading partners; and facilitate legitimate travel by U.S. citizens and international business people and tourists.
Continues to fulfill the Administration’s commitment to elevating development as a core pillar of US foreign policy through targeted investments with measurable returns, consistent with the principles in the President’s Policy Directive on Global Development (PPD-6) and the Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review (QDDR).
Supports the President’s new commitment to treat 6 million people with HIV/AIDS by the end of 2013.
Proposes a new Middle East and North Africa Incentive Fund to better position the United States to quickly respond to dramatic changes in the region and incentivize reforms.
Devotes resources where they are most needed to achieve foreign policy and development goals, reflecting hard trade-offs. Specifically, this budget:
o Reduces funding for Europe and Eurasia by 18 percent to reflect the successful transition of a number of countries to market-based democracies and eliminates the stand alone Assistance to Europe, Eurasia, and Central Asia account.
o Reflects over $100 million in FY 2012-FY 2013 administrative savings through administrative reforms.
o Enhances consular resources in areas with high demands for visas, including Brazil and China, generating tourism in the U.S. and new business opportunities for American companies. This work will be funded out of fees generated by the increase in visa applications.
o Limits the Department’s planned expansion of the Foreign Service by extending the time frame for the goal of a 25 percent increase while focusing modest staff growth on highest priority programs and countries.
o Scales back funding for overseas construction for one year, despite ongoing need for newer, more secure diplomatic facilities.
o Normalizes the Development Leadership Initiative (DLI) within USAID Operating Expenses and does not request additional USAID Foreign Service positions for FY 2013.
Supports major changes outlined in the QDDR and PPD-6 by allocating resources to goals with the greatest impact:
o Reorganizes to establish three new State Department bureaus focusing on high-priority issues of counter-terrorism and energy, and reorganizes and renames the Conflict and Stabilization Operations bureau to better fulfill conflict prevention missions;
o Continues to expand the application of science, technology, and innovation in USAID and State Department programs to ensure the most efficient and effective use of assistance funding; and
o Encourages whole-of-government approaches to development in emerging global markets, especially in the Partnership for Growth countries of El Salvador, the Philippines, Ghana, and Tanzania.
Supporting our Work in Frontline States ($11.9 billion):
“Improving governance, creating economic opportunity, supporting civil society is vital to solidifying our military gains and advancing our political and diplomatic goals.”-Secretary Clinton, June 2011
Iraq: $4.8 billion ($4.0 billion OCO and $770 million core)
o $2.0 billion in assistance, including $1.8 billion to fund police training and military assistance programs transitioned from the Department of Defense (DoD). Investments in health, education, and private sector development continue to decline as these programs transition to the Government of Iraq.
o $2.7 billion in operations funding supports the Embassy and three consulates as well as public outreach programs to strengthen ties with the Iraqi people.
o This is approximately 10% less than in FY-12.
Afghanistan: $4.6 billion ($3.2 billion OCO and $1.4 billion core)
o $2.5 billion in assistance for counter-terrorism-related programs, economic growth, reconciliation and reintegration, and capacity building, as well as to support progress in governance, rule of law, counter-narcotics, agriculture, health, and education.
o $2.1 billion supports the expansion of the diplomatic and inter-agency presence, the extraordinary costs of security in a conflict zone, and public diplomacy programs to build long-lasting bridges with civil society.
Pakistan: $2.4 billion ($959 million OCO and $1.5 billion core)
o $2.2 billion in assistance to strengthen democratic and civil institutions that provide a bulwark against extremism, and support joint security and counter-terrorism efforts, including $800 million for the Pakistan Counterinsurgency Capability Fund.
o $197 million supports the U.S. government’s civilian presence, as well as programs for engagement with civil society.
Other Frontline States-Related Costs: $95 million OCO. $95 million provides funding for additional USAID administrative costs and the cost to administer the Iraq military assistance program.
Improving Global Human and Economic Security ($14.7 billion):
“We need to continue shifting our approach and our thinking from aid to investment, investments targeted to produce tangible returns... Wise investors choose their investments carefully, they manage for risks, and they amplify their impact by trying to draw even more participants to the table”-Secretary Clinton, Busan Aid Effectiveness Forum, November 2011
$9.3 billion for critical interventions in health, food security, and climate change, as outlined in the PPD as presidential initiatives:
o $7.9 billion for the Global Health Initiative (GHI), including $5.4 billion for the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). The budget supports President Obama’s call for an AIDS-free generation with the goal of providing lifesaving treatment to six million people globally by the end of 2013. The request also includes $2.5 billion for USAID managed programs that build on significant progress to date and focus resources on key areas where the United States can make a marked difference in the struggle against pandemics and disease, including saving mothers and children through high-impact interventions such as malaria prevention and child vaccination programs.
o $1.0 billion for the global hunger and food security initiative, Feed the Future, to reduce poverty, hunger, and under-nutrition through sustainable investments in agriculture-focused economic growth. Together with the Department of Treasury’s contribution to the Global Agriculture and Food Security Program, this funding will enable the United States to reach millions of beneficiaries. The request supports implementing country-owned strategies that integrate the efforts of smallholder farmers, the private sector, governments, and civil society and provides them with the tools to achieve sustainable results.
o $469.5 million for Global Climate Change to address the environmental, economic, and social ramifications of global climate change through programs that develop clean energy economies; combat deforestation; and help vulnerable countries build resilience to withstand extreme weather and rising sea levels.
$4.0 billion in humanitarian assistance to provide life-saving interventions for victims of conflict, natural disasters, and persecution, including $1.4 billion for food aid, $1.7 billion to aid refugees and conflict victims, and $960 million for disaster assistance.
$1.3 billion to support development investments in the world’s poorest and most unstable nations, helping to stabilize societies and open new markets for U.S. goods.
Strengthening Partnerships and Preventing Conflict ($14.6 billion):
“American leadership must be as dynamic as the challenges we face. We have to be ready to adapt and innovate, and that might mean leveraging new groups of nations to work on specific issues.” – Secretary Clinton, Speech on American Global Leadership at the Center for American Progress, October 2011
$770 million for a new Middle East and North Africa Incentive Fund to respond strategically to the historical changes taking place across the region. The Fund will incentivize long-term economic, political and trade reforms—key pillars of stability—by supporting governments that demonstrate a commitment to undergo meaningful change and empower their people.
$5.1 billion in military assistance to support ongoing partnerships worldwide, including $3.1 billion for Israel, $1.3 billion for Egypt, $300 million for Jordan, and approximately $400 million for 70 other strategic partners around the world. This budget also provides $93.1 million in the International Military Education and Training account to promote regional stability and defense capabilities through professional military education and training.
$2.7 billion in economic and transition assistance to help strengthen and stabilize developing countries and countries in transition from conflict. This includes investing in building governing capacity, reform, and conflict mitigation in recently independent South Sudan; supporting continued democratic development in Liberia; post-earthquake reconstruction in Haiti; and encouraging reform in Burma.
$4.1 billion in contributions to international organizations (voluntary and assessed) to support cooperation and security in accordance with U.S. law:
o $1.5 billion to meet U.S. obligations to nearly 50 international organizations, including the United Nations.
o $2.1 billion to support the US share of international peacekeeping missions, including critical operations in Somalia, Sudan and Darfur, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sudan, Haiti, and Liberia.
o $535.9 million for voluntary contributions to international organizations, including UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the UN Development Program (UNDP), and to peacekeeping missions worldwide in order to diminish and resolve conflict, enhance partner countries’ capabilities to participate in peacekeeping operations and address counter-terrorism threats, and reform professional military forces.
$531.7 million for anti-terrorism and non-proliferation programs including support for programs that counter violent extremism and terrorist finance, and address the humanitarian threat posed by landmines and unexploded ordnance.
$932.5 million for rule of law, police development, and counter-drug programs worldwide, including protecting our borders and repelling the reach of criminal organizations and gang violence.
$56.5 million for Conflict Stabilization Operations to provide rapid responders to crisis regions, support conflict prevention efforts, and stabilize crises and set the conditions for the transition to long-term peace. These funds will support overseas deployments and the management of the civilian response corps for expeditionary operations.
$75 million to address emergent national security challenges, including through the existing Complex Crisis Fund ($50 million), and the new Global Security Contingency Fund ($25 million) introduced in FY 2012, which integrates Defense and State resources to address security crises.
$254 million to support bilateral international commissions, foreign affairs foundations and research centers. This includes academic institutions such as the Asia Foundation, exchange programs that include Eisenhower Fellowships, and multilateral organizations such as the International Fisheries Commission.
Supporting America’s Global Presence ($10.4 billion):
“Leading through civilian power saves lives and money. With the right tools, training, and leadership, our diplomats and development experts can defuse crises before they explode and create new opportunities for economic growth.” – Secretary Clinton, December 2010
$6.5 billion to support civilians in embassies, missions, and consulates around the world (not including the Frontline States), as well as at our headquarters in Washington. The request includes the following priorities:
o $507.4 million for public diplomacy to engage foreign audiences and win support for U.S. foreign policy goals, programs that include engaging with civil society in transition countries such as Tunisia, Libya, and Egypt (including the Frontline States, the total Public Diplomacy Request is $541.7 million).
o $1.4 billion in security for diplomatic personnel, information and facilities at our worldwide posts.
o $4.5 billion to fund other requirements, including staffing, operations and programs for our bureaus, envoys, and more than 270 posts overseas and in the United States, and funding for 121 new positions (83 Foreign Service and 38 civil service) in high priority programs and regions.
$1.5 billion to fund USAID operations, including USAID core staffing and security requirements in the Frontline States, and funding for the Implementation and Procurement Reform Initiative of USAID Forward.
$1.6 billion for security-related construction, major facility rehabilitation, and operational requirements at embassies, consulates, and missions worldwide. Supports the construction of new embassy compounds in Chad, the Hague, and fit-out of the U.S. Mission’s wing of the new NATO headquarters nearing completion in Brussels. Also continues the $270 million capital maintenance cost-sharing program initiated in FY 2012.
$83.3 million for investment in essential modernization of information technology through the Department of State’s Capital Investment Fund.
$587.0 million for exchange programs that give U.S. citizens broad exposure to the world and help foreign students better understand the United States. Scholarship programs and cultural exchanges such as the Fulbright Program advance U.S. national interests by preparing the next generation of leaders to work together to tackle global challenges.
$200 million for activities including financial oversight work of inspector general, support of American citizens for repatriation loans, and the protection of foreign missions and officials in the United States. These programs also fund a wide-range of other activities, including support for the evacuation of American citizens from nations in crisis.
$37,680,000,000: That’s How Much the U.S. Spent on Foreign Aid in 2012 — Here’s a Chart That Helps Explain It
Dec. 19, 2013 10:30am         Becket Adams
The United States spends billions of dollars each year on foreign aid .
In fact, the U.S. sent approximately $37,680,000,000 overseas in 2012 for foreign aid, according to Finance Degree Center, a website dedicated to finance education.
The total amount, which includes investments in national security concerns, counterterrorism efforts and commercial and humanitarian interests, is really rather impressive when you think about it. Indeed, no other country comes even close in terms of providing other countries with monetary aid.
Here to help you visualize just how much the U.S. spends every year is a chart from the folks at Finance Degree Center. Enjoy:
Just How Much Does the U.S. Spend on Foreign Aid Anyway? This Chart Will Explain:
Since WWII the United States has led the developed world disbursements of foreign aid almost every year.
●    In 2012, the United States send $37,680,000,000 dollars overseas for foreign aid
A few reasons:
    National Security
●    Counter-Terrorism focus since 2001
    Commercial Interests
●    Think of it as an investment
    Humanitarian Concerns
●    Less suffering makes a better world
What are the objectives?
Peace and Security
●    $10,594,000,000 of the budget
○    Specific areas include
    Counter-Terrorism
    Stabilization/Security Sector Reform
    Counter-narcotics
Investing in People
●    $10,559,000,000 of  the budget
○    Specific areas include
    Health
    Education
    Social Services/Protection of Vulnerable
Governing Justly & Democratically
●    $2,596,000,000
○    Rule of Law & Human Rights
○    Civil Society
○    Good Governance
Promoting Economic Growth
●    $4,405,000,000
○    Agriculture
○    Environment
○    Infrastructure
Humanitarian Assistance
●    $4,091,000,000
○    Protection, Assistance & Solutions
○    Disaster Readiness
○    Migration Management
Who were the top 5 recipients of foreign aid in 2012?
○    Definitions:
    Per Capita: How much aid the country is receiving per person
    Gross Domestic Product (GDP): the monetary value of all the finished goods and services produced within a countrys border, generally per year
    Gross National Income Per Capita (GNI):  the dollar value of a country’s final income in a year, divided by its population
●    A good measurement of standard of living
Top 5 Recipients in 2012
    Israel
●    $3.075 billion
●    Per Capita: $388
●    GDP: $258.2 billion
●    GNI Per Capita: $28,380
    Afghanistan
●    $2.327 billion
●    Per Capita: $78
●    GDP: $18.03 billion
●    GNI Per Capita: $570
    Pakistan
●    $2.102 billion
●    Per Capita: $12
●    GDP: $231.2 billion
●    GNI Per Capita: $1,260
    Iraq
●    $1.683 billion
●    Per Capita: $52
●    GDP: $210.3 billion
●    GNI Per Capita: $5,870
    Egypt
●    $1.557 billion
●    Per Capita: $19
●    GDP: $257.3 billion
●    GNI Per Capita: $3,000
** Of the top five, there’s only one in Africa!
Can we afford to be so generous?
●    $37 billion dollars is…
○    1% of Total US Budget
    20% Social Security
    19% Defense
    15% income security
    13% Medicare
    10% health
    6% net interest
    6% other
    4% education & training
    3% veterans
    3% transportation
    1% foreign aid
Sources: