U.S. foreign aid policy called 'a big mess'

After three months of observing the Clinton administration, senior foreign policy advisor Larry Knowles critiqued its foreign aid policy at a lecture in Stiteler Hall last week. "The [U.S.] foreign aid program is a big mess," Knowles said. Knowles, who works for the Congressional Research Service, said that the Clinton foreign aid policy is undergoing a difficult transition from Cold War policy. "The world has fundamentally changed, but foreign aid hasn't," he said. Knowles listed many policy changes currently being debated within Washington's inner circles to replace outdated Cold War strategies that were designed to counter Soviet threats and bolster friends and allies. They include the use of U.S. foreign aid to support American exports, the promotion of democracy -- especially in the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe -- and issues such as overpopulation, the environment and the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons. Knowles said the development of a coherent foreign aid policy that addresses the problems and issues of the 1990s will only evolve with strong leadership from President Clinton, the cooperation of Congress and the consolidation of policy-making on foreign aid into a single governmental agency. According to Knowles, plans likely to be implemented in this year's foreign aid budget are renewed funding to the international family planning organizations, after a hiatus during the Reagan-Bush era, and a stimulus package to help ameliorate economic conditions in chaotic Russia. Due to the emphasis Clinton placed on domestic issues in the presidential campaign and the lingering effects of the recent recession, however, Knowles said it would be difficult to get substantial allocations for foreign aid. Compounding the problem are Egypt and Israel, which consume the majority of the already tight foreign aid budget which is the lowest in real dollar terms since World War II, he said. Knowles also discussed the Agency for International Development, which distributes funding to numerous countries throughout the world. He said it is beset with leadership and identity problems. Several of the 25 students, professors and community members at the presentation seemed impressed by Knowles' erudite and articulate lecture. "The speech was a really interesting opportunity to hear from an expert who knows what he is talking about," College senior Jessica Davis said. The program was co-sponsored by the International Relations office and the Society for International Development.

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