Newell-Fonda
High School
Newell, Iowa
Teacher: Connie Doonan
Nobody
Knows
By Carissa Peiffer
America
is fighting against terrorism. What
or who causes terrorism? What causes a country to [commit] a terrorist act?
These questions don’t have a right or wrong answer.
The only people who can answer these questions are the ones who commit
the terrorist act. President Bush
said in his speech on March 14, 2002:
“Poverty doesn’t cause terrorism. Being poor doesn’t make you a murderer. Most of the plotters of September 11th were raised in comfort. Yet persistent poverty and oppression can lead to hopelessness and despair. And when governments fail to meet the most basic needs of their people, these failed states can become havens for terrorism.”
Nobody
can say if the Millenium Challenge Account is a step in the right direction.
Nobody knows. The only way
the U.S. will find out is by trying the Millenium Challenge Account.
If the United States doesn’t do something quickly, to help defeat
poverty and hunger, the U.S. might get more terrorism that will cost us dearly.
Would a person rather have their money put towards solving poverty and
hunger, which could end most terrorism, or to keep paying for wars that will
cost the U.S. an even bigger debt? If the Millennium Challenge Account fails the
U.S. will have lost nothing but money. The U.S. will just be back to where it
started from before it tried the Millenium Challenge Account.
The Millennium Challenge Account is foreign aid to help undeveloped
countries emerge into developed countries, to defeat poverty and hunger that
could benefit the U.S.
Nations
that refuse to have sound policies make it difficult to overcome poverty.
When people live under a government that doesn’t provide basic services
and protect a person(s)’ basic rights, groups of terrorist can form. When
countries don’t provide basic needs, children with diseases can go untreated,
children are unable to be educated, and children’s families are unable to
shelter themselves or feed themselves. When
children are not educated, children are likely to be illiterate. When a child
has no shelter or food to eat it is likely for the child to acquire a disease,
and with no available hospitals to treat the child he/she could die.
In Malawi the life expectancy is thirty-eight years old. In Sierra Leone a third of the babies won’t even reach the
age of five. In Sudan about half of
the children go to school. Less than two dollars a day is how much half of the
world’s population lives on in a days time. People wonder why children and
families are hungry. How many
people in the U.S. live on less than two dollars a day?
In some countries poverty is spreading.
This could cause more terrorism against the U.S. and other countries; the
people of the U.S. do not want any more terrorism.
Afghanistan is consistent poverty, war, and chaos has created conditions
that has allowed terrorist groups to take control of the power.
All the examples above are reasons the United State can’t afford not to
participate in the MCA. The U.S.
must do something to help stop poverty, which will help end terrorism, and help
make the world more peaceful.
The
U.S. is currently trying to defeat terror, but the U.S. must also fight for the
values that make life worth living for, such as, education, good health and a
good economy. The U.S. must work to
make the world a better place for its citizens. How does the U.S....plan [to] do that? It is
quite simple, the Millennium Challenge Account. [The MCA] will help undeveloped
countries become developed. It will provide foreign aid to countries in poverty.
It will help the countries develop sound policies, help promote the honoring of
the people’s basic rights, and help provide basic services. The prosperity of
the world has came from the free markets, trade, democracy, and rule of law. In
the poorest countries, the per capita has almost doubled, a third of the
Illiteracy has been cut, and more children have been blessed with a chance to
learn. The world works for opportunities and prosperity because it is right and
it helps defeat terror.
Like
president Bush said in his speech, “development provides resources to
build, hope, prosperity, and security.” The most important value of
development is security. Development
does not work well in an atmosphere full of violence and chaos. The U.S. is leading the defense of global security by working
toward the defeat of global terror. Development
needs financing. The U.S. is
planning a 500 billion-dollar increase in the next three years, to put towards
development assistance. Other developed countries will also donate to the MCA.
The MCA will be a combination of several countries' money, put toward the
aiding of developing countries. A
lot of aid that is not given by legal and economic reform is wasted.
With the MCA, foreign countries must apply for aid.
A board will look over their applications. The countries’ applications must consists of proposals of
how it plans to improve their education, health, and the economy.
Development requires literate citizens, citizens of good health, and
people who are prepared and able to work, in order for the development to be
successful. Then after the country
has shown progress in its development, the MCA will provide aid.
The increase in the amount of money the U.S. plans to donate to the MCA
will be tough, but freedom and peace are priceless.
The
Millennium Challenge Account will support developing countries that work toward
defeating poverty and hunger through aid. America supports the MCA and believes
that the development of the undeveloped countries is the responsibility shared
by both developed and the developing countries.
Countries greater contributions must see greater responsibility from
countries that are developing. In...return
[for] the United States commitment, other nations [are expected] to follow
policies and [lasting] and effective reforms. The MCA will reward countries that get rid of poverty,
improve education, and have healthy citizens by providing aid. With
time, these countries will no longer need aid, because a country with good laws
and polices will bring in foreign investment. The U.S. will save many of our own
lives by contributing to the Millennium Challenge Account to defeat terror.
So how can the United States not afford to be apart or support the
Millennium Challenge Account?
Questions
Q1-
President Bush claimed that most funds for development do not come from
international aid. He mentions three things that do fund development. What are
they?
Q2-
President Bush reminded his audience that successful development in a third
world country requires more than funds. What two items did he mention in this
regard?
Citizens
to be in good health, literate, and able to work.
Q3-
When is money sometimes counterproductive, according to President Bush?
When
nations refuse to enact sound policies against poverty.
Q4-
Describe the Millennium Challenge Account and include in your description what
is anticipated from donors and recipients.
The
MCA is to help rich and poor countries who plan to improve: education, health of
their people, and the economy. The
developed countries have more responsibility because they will be the countries
who donate money to the undeveloped countries and will be the ones to help in
the development of the undeveloped countries.
Q5-
What are the three broad standards that President Bush expects the leaders of
the developing nations to adopt?
The
three broad standards are ruling justly, investing in their people, and
encouraging economic freedom.
Q6-
Describe President Bush’s challenge to development banks and explain why or
why not you favor it.
President
Bush challenges the development banks to provide half of the fund proposed, to
the poor nations and in the form of grants rather then in loans.
I
agree with it, because if the banks don’t pay a lot of it, then who or what
will. Plus, I like the idea of
sending it in forms of grants. If we don’t give it in grants then the
undeveloped country will become a developed country and in debt. Also, if the money came in a form of a loan, the country has
a pretty good chance of not becoming a developed country if it is going to be in
debt right off the bat.
Q7-
What percentage of our national income (GNP) do you think the United States government committed to foreign aid
in 2002? First answer this question and
then use the Internet to find the answer.
Q8-
Describe and defend a “Me First” attitude. (Use your head ¾ you won’t
find the answer in the required reading.)
“Me
First” attitude is selfishness and self-involved attitude.
Means that a person wants everything for themselves and doesn’t care
about anything or anybody but themselves. People
who are like that will usually do anything to get what they want or their way.
A lot of times greed and jealousy plays a big role in the " Me
First” attitude.
Q9-
Describe and defend a “Mutual Benefit” attitude. (Use your head ¾ you
won’t find the answer in the required reading.)
“Mutual
Benefit” attitude is a sharing attitude, these people are willing to give and
share. The saying always goes, when you give, you receive.
Most mothers have a “mutual benefit” attitude.
Mothers share everything they have and they give up a lot of things for
their children. Some mothers give
up dreams, goals they had set for themselves, and having a social life, just to
give their children a better life.
Q10-
Describe three unsuccessful foreign aid programs operated by the U.S.
government or private American citizens. (Do not use the programs discussed in
the testimony of Faith Action for People-Centered Development Policy included in
your required reading. Conduct research using the Internet. Duplicate examples
from the same class will not be accepted.)
1.
Israel conflict with Palestine/Arafat- despite all our aid and peace
negotiations efforts.
2.
Somalia – U.S gave aid to help with their starvation and killed our
service men.
3.
North Korea- U.S and North Korea had an agreement. North was not to
manufacture nuclear weapons in return for some aid. They are now in the process
of manufacturing nuclear weapons.
Q11-
Describe three successful foreign aid programs operated by the U.S.
government or private American citizens. (Do not use the programs discussed in
the testimony of Faith Action for People-Centered Development Policy included in
your required reading. Conduct research using the Internet. Duplicate examples
from the same class will not be accepted.)
1.
Bread for the world- has members that contact their senator and
representatives about the legislation that affects hungry people in the US and
worldwide. It does not provide direct relief or development assistance. They focus on the power they have as citizens in a democracy
to support policies that address the cause of hunger and poverty.
2.
Church World Service- is a relief service, development and refugee
assistance ministry of Protestant, Orthodox, and Anglican denominations in the
U.S. CWS works worldwide to meet
human needs and to foster self reliance for all whose way is hard.
3.
InterAction (American Council for Voluntary International Action) –
They help improve development work by having good sound practices and inform
better policies, which makes for better development practice.
Q12-
Steve Radelet, Senior Fellow at the Center for Global Development, believes we
can do both ¾ take care of our own people and lend a helping hand to citizens
of less developed countries. Explain why you think we can or cannot offer aid to
both.
I
think we can offer aid to both. Our own money will be given to our people.
Whereas, The MCA will be a combination of different countries money, even
though the U.S will provide most of the money.
I think the MCA will help take care of some terrorism.
I am not saying terrorism is caused by poverty, but if a person is
brought up or born into a country full of poverty, and a country is full of
diseases, just because the country is poor.
This can all lead to hopelessness, cause a person to have anger and to
hate, which can lead to terrorism. So
if the MCA can help stop terrorism and help poor undeveloped countries, it will
be worth it in the end, not matter what kind of a debt the U.S. is in.
Q13-
What do you think about Mr. Radelet’s assertion that “the administration is
leaning towards a system in which eligible countries would write proposals (or
business plans) describing their objectives and strategy, how they would use the
money, the benchmarks used for evaluation. Giving recipient countries this
responsibility is a revolutionary change in US foreign assistance.”?
I
believe if the MCA administrative board will look over the eligible countries
plans or proposals and think the plans are good and will work, then the board
should allow the country to receive with some aid of the MCA.
On the other hand, if the board doesn’t like the plans and they don’t
think it will work or doesn’t meet the median, the board should be allowed to
change the plans to a something that will work and will do the job.
And if the eligible country doesn’t like it and won’t cooperate then
the country shouldn’t be allowed aid.
Q14-
Which of Mr. Radelet’s three concerns regarding the MCA concerns you and why?
1.
as more countries in this income range become eligible, there will be
fewer MCA funds available for the poorest countries that are implementing sound
development strategies.
2.
the make-or-break requirement may unnecessarily eliminate some countries.
3.
the separation of US foreign assistance into two agencies could lead to a
lack of coordination and overlapping functions.
The
one that concerns me the most is, number one.
This concerns me because if the poorest countries are unable to receive
any money, due to the shortage in money, then we are not achieving the goal we
set out to do. I think the board
should sit down and number in order the poorest country to the richest country. This way when the country applies or sends in their
proposals, the board can decide which country needs the aid most, and proceed
with the plans or make plans that will work to achieve the goal.
Q15-
There is evidence of an increase in negative world opinion towards U.S. foreign
policy, not necessarily the American people. To counter this negative perception
of the U.S. some people want the U.S. to concentrate more on weapons of mass
assistance (WMA) and less on weapons of mass destruction (WMD). Please comment.
I
don’t understand why the U.S. would take peoples opinion of other countries or
other people other than American people, on what to do with our money and
weaponry or our military. I don’t think that we should even consider taking
money away from our defense or weapons of mass destruction. That would just be stupid to take our money from our defense
and put it towards helping other countries.
The U.S. could then be short on weapons, due to less money. Then what
would happen if we received more terrorism, or those countries rebel on us,
and/or become involved with a war? What
is the U.S. suppose to do for weapons, if the U.S. gave our money for weaponry
elsewhere. The U.S. would be
screwed. We threaten
other countries with our mass destruction, so why would be want to take that
away.
Q16-
What does the World Bank recommend as the United State’s “just and
appropriate share” to reach the Millennium Development Goals by 2015? Do you
think our citizens can afford that kind of increase? Defend your views.
No,
our citizens can’t afford such and increase.
I came from a family of farmers. Farmers
these days don’t get paid fairly for their work.
Farmers don’t get a break every weekend, like most jobs. If farmers have livestock, the livestock must be fed on
weekends also. Then if they have
crops, the farmers are in the field from spring until harvest or till the ground
freezes. During fieldwork the
farmers still have to take care of the livestock.
I don’t think people realize how much time and hard work farmers put
in. And therefore, farmers don’t
get paid fairly for what they do. Just
try and imagine what the U.S. economy would be like without our farmers.
So until people get paid fairly for their work, I don’t think the
government can ask us to pay more money. If
they are going to increase our taxes then our salaries need to raised also.
Q17-
What do you think about the request of Faith Action for People Centered
Development Policy’s request that tax dollars be used to fund, not only
government-sponsored foreign aid programs, but “that funds also go to NGOs and
grassroots organizations.”?
I
don’t think that the U.S. people
should have to pay tax dollars to other organizations that are not
government-sponsored. If the
government had a say or played a role in the organization that would be fine.
But to have the people’s money go somewhere other the government
organizations, I don’t think so. If the organization wants or needs money, it should get the
money through private donations, instead of taking or forcing people to give
their money to the organization. Plus
I think every taxpayer should have a right to know where every penny of their
money goes.
Q18-
How many countries would be affected positively y health-related investments
according to the Commission on Macroeconomics and Health (CMH)?
Eighty-three
countries will be positively effected.
Q19-
According to the CMH, how much would be gained annually between 2015-2020 due to
saved lives and increased economic growth, if an increased investment were made
in global AIDS and other health services?
360
billion dollars would be gained annually.
Q20-
Use the Internet for your research and name the two congressmen who introduced
H.R. 4524. Give a 2-line synopsis of that bill.
The
bill is to strengthen global debt relief and aids legislation.
The little amount of funds spent on huge debts, limits the amount of
money that can be spent on aid. The
aid legislation and both chambers authorize an increase in funding, especially
to global funding. The current
legislation provides opportunity to advance debt relief at the same time.
Two
congressmen are Christopher Smith and John LaFalce.
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