Clinton Seeks To Boost U.S. Foreign Aid, Realign Global Governance

By Joseph Russell- Talk Radio News Service

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton addressed the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) on Wednesday to outline the Obama administration’s broad foreign policy objectives. Clinton highlighted the administration’s plan to use more tax dollars for foreign aid and realign global governance, and underscored its dedication to U.S. security.

“We advance our security, our prosperity, and our values, by improving the material conditions of people’s lives around the world,” Clinton said. “These efforts also lay the ground work for greater global cooperation by building the capacity of new partners and tackling shared problems from the ground up.”

U.S. foreign aid has not significantly improved global conditions according to Clinton. “We have devoted a smaller percentage of our government budget to development than almost any other advanced country,” despite giving more money than any other nation. “I want more of our tax dollars to be used effectively and deliver tangible results,” Clinton said.

Clinton asserted that the Obama administration will work to build a global consensus through partnerships, saying “we’ll work through existing institutions and reform them, but we’ll go further.”

Amidst a record deficit, pundits have criticized the Obama administration’s foreign policy objectives, calling the goal of providing more foreign aid unsustainable. Additionally, some have criticized the U.S.’s desire to realign global governance, arguing that it weakens U.S. power and leaves the country vulnerable to threats by North Korea and other unfriendly nations.

Clinton addressed these concerns by saying that if the U.S. uses its power to build relationships through common values, the world will be safer because countries will seek to find solutions to the world’s problems.