Here’s another story that makes one wonder, “What the hell are they thinking in Washington?” This is from an excellent piece in the Palestine Herald-Press (that it’d be Texas, Mam) written by Gary Connor.

A report titled “Foreign Aid: An Introduction to U.S. Programs and Policy” prepared by the Congress Research Service for congressional members lists only the top 15 ranking countries receiving foreign aid from the U.S. in 2010; however, a web site, www.foreignassistance.gov illustrates every country and the amount of U.S. foreign aid recommended for distribution in 2012.

Foreign countries completing the 2010 Top 15 List include: Egypt $1.269 billion, Haiti $1,271 billion, Iraq $1,117 billion, Jordan $693 million, Kenya $688 million, Nigeria $614 million, South Africa $578 million, Ethiopia $533 million, Colombia $507 and West Bank/Gaza $96 million.

More of the foreign aid recommendations for 2012 are most disturbing. The repressive regimes of Robert Mugabe in Zimbabwe and Omar al-Bashir in the Sudan are recommended for $109.9 million and $518.2 million respectively.

Further, Russia $64.6 million, Mexico $333.9 million, Cuba $20 million, Somalia $82.3 million, and China $12.8 million are once again on the list for foreign aid next year.

The following is only a partial list of proposed foreign aid for 2012. Iraq $2.36 billion, Egypt $1.5 billion, Nepal $93.8 million, India $142.6 million, Bangladesh $266.1 million, Vietnam $125.2 million, Philippines $163.5 million, Indonesia $253.1 million, Israel $3.0 billion, Jordan $675.7 million, Senegal $119.8 million, Liberia $211.4 million, Ivory Coast $142.8 million.

Also, Ghana $204.5 million, Nigeria $660.4 million, Democratic Republic of the Congo $261.8 million, South Africa $561.9 million, Mozambique $424.5 million, Zambia $400.7 million, Tanzania $571.8 million, Kenya $751.4 million, Uganda $527.7 million, Columbia $400.2 million, Bolivia $32.7 million, Peru $111 million and Haiti $405.3 million.

Foreign aid in smaller million dollar amounts are tagged for Tajikistan, Burma, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, New Guinea, Morocco, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Cameroon, Chad, Angola, Namibia, Lesotho, Botswana, Madagascar, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Brazil, Guyana, Suriname, Paraguay, Ecuador, Chile, Argentina and the Dominican Republic.

These are only 61 of the 149 countries recommended to receive U.S. foreign aid next year. Certainly, the long list and the astronomical dollar amounts should send an alarming message to taxpayers and voters.

All of this hasn’t gone unnoticed in the rest of world. The U.K.’s Mail on Line recently noted the U.S. is giving billions of foreign aid dollars to countries that they owe money to including China and Russia! Pray tell, what could be the possible rationale behind these policies? Why are we giving away our precious taxpayer dollars to some of the world’s richest counties when we are essentially broke?

Billions in foreign aid wasted!

The U.S. is providing hundreds of millions of dollars of foreign aid to some of the world’s richest countries – while at the same time borrowing billions back, according to report seen by Congress.

The Congressional Research Service released the report last month which shows that in 2010 the U.S. handed out a total of $1.4bn to 16 foreign countries that held at least $10bn in Treasury securities.

Four countries in the world’s top 10 richest received foreign aid last year with China receiving $27.2m, India $126.6m, Brazil $25m, and Russia $71.5m.

Even if this country were flush with cash and we weren’t facing massive unemployment and massive deficits, a foreign aid program that gives money away to countries that don’t need it is asinine at best, criminally lacking common sense and good stewardship.