U.S. Foriegn Policy - Personal Opinion

I read an article off of Reuters.com about the United States' foreign policy in South American regions in terms of countering the drug trade.

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The top 3 countries on the list of drug-trade activity are Bolivia, Venezuela, and Myanmar. In the article, it is stated that in an annual report, all three of these countries had landed far from the mark when it came to anti-drug trafficking progress. It is also stated that due to the countries landing top 3 on the list last year as well, the President can cut off U.S. aid other than than counter-narcotics and humanitarian funds.

Yet, instead of doing so, the annual statement announced that:

"In Venezuela, funds will continue to support civil society programs and small community development programs. In Bolivia, the waiver will permit continued support for agricultural development, exchange programs, small enterprise development, and police training programs,"

In addition, Secretary of State Hilary Clinton expressed concern about Venezuela's growing purchases of arms. Also, the statement about the countries on the list noted that "...being on the list does not necessarily reflect a country's counter-narcotics efforts or cooperation with the United States, saying in some cases a country may suffer from geographic, commercial, or economic factors that allow drugs to be produced or trafficked "despite its own best efforts."

My Opinion

Personally, I do not know all that much about the drug trading situation. I know that the United States is concerned because the trade has the power to directly effect the drug activity in our country, so naturally I understand why we help the countries in funding counter-narcotics programs.

I might not know what I am talking about, which I apologize for ahead of time, but if the top 3 countries have made the list two years (perhaps more) in a row, I don't understand why the U.S. should continue to help fund many of their other programs. The exact dollar amounts being paid out and how that works is unknown to me, but presently, states within the U.S. aren't doing well either. A few of my friends and family members have wondered why the country we live in is helping other countries rather than itself.

I sometimes wonder the same thing. I do know it is important, especially to the image of the U.S. and relationships with other countries, to lend helping hands to countries in need. I personally believe that we should help out those in need to benefit relations and those who are worse off than we are. BUT, I'm not sure we should be giving lots of money to fund programs that one might say aren't working, such as the counter-narcotics programs in Bolivia, Venezuela, and Myanmar.

I apologize ahead of time if I am missing an important event or bit of information which makes this opinion rude and controversial, but as I see it, the crisis inside our country should be conquered in order to completely conquer crisis outside of it.