Posted on 07/29/2011 4:59:35 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
A Republican move to end $48.5 million in funding to the Organization of American States is the wrong tack to take in a region where U.S. influence appears to be eroding.
For much of the last decade, the United States has been relatively disengaged from Latin America, getting involved mostly to combat drugs or violence. Now, the House Foreign Affairs Committee has approved a measure that would further limit the U.S. role in the region.
Under the proposal, which would have to be approved by both the House and the Senate, the U.S. would eliminate its $48.5-million contribution to the Organization of American States, the oldest and largest regional diplomatic group in the Western Hemisphere.
Reps. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Huntington Beach) and Connie Mack (R-Fla.) argue that the U.S. should defund the OAS because it has been "destroying democracy in Latin America," as Mack put it, and endorsing the United States' political foes — namely Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. Republicans on the committee suggested that it would be crazy for the U.S. to continue making a nearly $50-million annual contribution to an organization that often takes positions that conflict with Washington's.
But slashing the U.S. contribution won't promote democracy in Latin America, nor will it silence Chavez, a pugnacious but democratically elected leader. What it will do is send a strong signal that the U.S. is content to disengage still further, to conduct what foreign policy it must on a bilateral basis only, and to give short shrift to regional issues. As Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-N.Y.) noted, Washington might as well consider "an amendment to pull out of the world, to build a moat around the United States and put a dome over the thing."
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
The problem is that the OAS has become an entirely Socialist-controlled extension of US Democratic Party policies. The OAS was fully in line with Obama in his desire to crush Honduras and install the Marxist would-be populist dictator in that country.
Just by the fact that it was written in the Los Angeles Times means that the action by the Republicans was justified.
US influence? What’s that? Save the CASH.
As with most foreign aid, there is no accountability for the money and it is stolen by the leaders. This is a good move.
Chavez is “pugnacious?” Try ‘ruthless tryrant.’
We don't want to isolate our friendship, just our money, you moron...
And when he's not being "pugnacious" he's a "firebrand."
Right!! We shouldn’t finance those that hate us. A moat...I heard that statement before and it sounds like a good idea..starting south of the border..maybe with alligators?
A real nin-cow-poop!
Got it - we borrow money from China and pay for the privilege of giving it to Latin American thugs. Why not just eliminate the middleman? Isn’t this the argument made by Obama when nationalizing student loans?
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