Photo: Best face forward: President Obama wants to emphasize programs that improve the perception of America abroad, like this food program in Congo. Teun Voeten/Sipa Press/NewscomEconomy Forces Obama To Rein In Foreign-Aid Goals -- Christian Science Monitor
He wants to double aid by the end of his term to help improve America's image abroad, but that no longer looks possible.
Washington - The Obama administration is hinting that the economic downturn means the president is unlikely to reach his goal of doubling foreign aid by the end of his four-year term.
The retreat from the ambitious pledge is raising concerns both about the perception of the United States abroad as well as the potential adverse effect on development and global health. The US has increased funding in recent years for international campaigns targeting HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases – part of a broader increase in global health spending that has brought impressive results, particularly in some African countries. The worry is that the upward trend may now be reversed.
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My Comment: Financial and economic realities are now kicking in. The U.S. cannot save the world anymore.