Is fighting poverty part of the War on Terror?
Effective international assistance is national security, not charity. Poverty in the developing world is a serious global security threat, because poverty breeds hopelessness, desperation, hatred, anger and encourages the spread of radicalism. Failed states are countries in crisis, where people lack the tools they need to survive (access to clean water, food and life-saving medications). These countries often become breeding grounds for extremism and terrorism.After World War II, President Truman and General Marshall took a little of our money to build a world that had more friends and fewer enemies. Today, U.S. assistance to the poorest people in the world is just as vital to our foreign policy, and to the future of millions of people. Americans giving our fair share may just be the best money we ever spent.
