Friday, March 13, 2015 - 08:24
Security assistance – the arming and training of foreign military and police forces – is a crucial tool of U.S. foreign policy. The goal of this type of assistance is to foster stability, bolster allies, and promote human rights and good governance. Done well, these programs can make all of us safer by preventing or reducing armed conflict. Done poorly, they can be used to undermine human rights, fuel conflict, and enable corruption on the part of recipient governments.
Tuesday, February 10, 2015 - 10:44
The recent murder of Jordan’s Lieutenant Moaz al-Kasasbeh by militants of the so-called Islamic State has propelled the Kingdom into the international spotlight.
Tuesday, February 3, 2015 - 09:03
On Monday, the State Department sent to Congress more details about its big request for US$1 billion in 2016 assistance to Central America, as part of next year's foreign aid budget proposal. Compared to 2014, this US$1 billion package would mean a tripling of foreign aid budget assistance to the region, especially to the three "Northern Triangle" countries (El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras), which suffer very high violent crime levels.
Thursday, January 29, 2015 - 12:20
For most of the 1990s, Turkey was a major recipient of U.S. foreign assistance, receiving over $400 million, on average, in military aid per year from FY1990 to FY1997. In return, the United States and its allies were granted access to Turkish territory to launch attacks against Iraq in the first Gulf War.
Tuesday, January 27, 2015 - 13:58
The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2015 includes many provisions that affect the way the U.S. military engages in foreign military and police aid, training and arms sales worldwide. Based on an initial review of the bill (H.R. 3979), it would create at least seven new Defense Department (DoD) authorities or programs to provide foreign military and/or police aid (see table 1 below).
Wednesday, December 17, 2014 - 12:36
In light of the worsening situation in Central America, a new report from the Wilson Center calls into question the implementation and effectiveness of U.S. assistance programs in the region, particularly the Central American Regional Security Initiative, known as CARSI.
Tuesday, December 16, 2014 - 06:43
President Barack Obama has yet to decide whether he will sign legislation passed by Congress last week that would allow him to provide weapons to Ukraine’s ramshackle military and increase the penalties on Russia’s energy sector, setting up a confrontation with the GOP-held Congress in the new year.
Tuesday, December 16, 2014 - 06:10
The White House said Monday it was evaluating whether President Obama would sign new legislation that would impose additional sanctions on Russia and authorize the administration to send Kiev additional defensive weapons and non-lethal aid.
Monday, December 15, 2014 - 06:23
The U.S. Senate has unanimously passed a bill authorizing lethal aid for Ukraine and new sanctions against Russia, sending the measure to President Barack Obama for his signature or veto.
