Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, March 13, 1993 TAG: 9303150543
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A-9 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
FOREIGN AID IS COSTLY FOLLY
YOUR SARCASTIC editorial (Feb. 26, "Swarming around the honey pots") ridiculing the annual subsidy ($12 million) to the nation's beekeepers was timely, if nothing else, in view of the current debate on how to reduce spending. I found it strange, however, that you would choose to stomp on a gnat while ignoring the swarm of leeches that annually appear in the federal budget year after year.Consider the following list of sacred cows:
Aid to Israel ($5 billion annually plus additional payments to cover the interest on their other debts, plus $10 billion in loan guarantees).
Aid to Egypt ($3 billion annually plus a writeoff of past debt).
Grants to the Philippines ($380 million, formerly given as rent on U.S. military and naval bases, now to be paid for "good will").
Poland ($1 billion for unstated purposes - perhaps to provide payment of the claims filed by the Vatican for loss of church property expropriated by the former communist state).
Zimbabwe ($210 million).
Zaire ($50 million for past favors rendered to the United States by Mobutto).
The list grows - El Salvador, Nicaragua, etc., as the total amount swells to nearly $20 billion.
The financial drain imposed on our country by the continuing aid to Israel should be especially offensive to those Americans who will soon be paying taxes on their Social Security benefits, fuel, and energy sources used to heat their homes and cook their food. The U.S. subsidy provides $1,500 in benefits for every man, woman and child residing in Israel today.
The history of this program provides interesting insights into the skill and power of Israeli and other foreign lobbyists who are maintained with the help of annual U.S. aid subsidies. The funds not only help pay the lobbyists' salaries but also are used to reward "friendly" congressmen and senators with timely campaign contributions. CHARLES F. ROBERTS BLACKSBURG