United States military aid
Encyclopedia
The United States government
first recognized the usefulness of foreign aid as a tool of diplomacy
in World War II
. It was believed that it would promote liberal capitalist models of development in other countries and that it would enhance national security.
The United States
is the largest contributor of military aid to foreign countries in the world. In fact, the U.S. has provided some form of foreign assistance to about 150 countries. The largest recipients are consistently Israel
and Egypt
.
Foreign military financing
provides grants for the acquisition of U.S. defense equipment, services, and tning. These grants enable friends and allies to improve their defense capabilities. The goals of FMF are
Peacekeeping Operations (PKO) provide voluntary support for international peacekeeping activities. These funds support non-U.N. operations and training in response to a nation’s crisis. The goals of PKO are
The International Military Education and Training program (IMET) offers military training on a grant basis to foreign military officials. The goals of IMET are
crisis in 2011.
Despite its relatively small size, Israel is the largest recipient of U.S. foreign military assistance. It received a total of $53.6 billion in U.S. military grants between 1949 and 2007. Over the past decade, the U.S. has transferred more than $17 billion in military aid to this country of 7,746,000 people.
Currently, Congress wants to cut defense spending by lowering the amount of aid given to foreign militaries. Money saved from proposed cutbacks could benefit the U.S. military, which is closing military bases, freezing pay raises for service members, and cutting the defense budget by $78 billion for 2011.
Particular targets of criticism include
Federal government of the United States
The federal government of the United States is the national government of the constitutional republic of fifty states that is the United States of America. The federal government comprises three distinct branches of government: a legislative, an executive and a judiciary. These branches and...
first recognized the usefulness of foreign aid as a tool of diplomacy
Diplomacy
Diplomacy is the art and practice of conducting negotiations between representatives of groups or states...
in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. It was believed that it would promote liberal capitalist models of development in other countries and that it would enhance national security.
The United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
is the largest contributor of military aid to foreign countries in the world. In fact, the U.S. has provided some form of foreign assistance to about 150 countries. The largest recipients are consistently Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
and Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
.
Military funding programs
There are three main programs where military funding is allocated:Foreign military financing
United States Foreign Military Financing
The Foreign Military Financing program provides grants and loans to help countries purchase weapons and defense equipment produced in the United States as well as acquiring defense services and military training. FMF funds purchases are made through the Foreign Military Sales program, which...
provides grants for the acquisition of U.S. defense equipment, services, and tning. These grants enable friends and allies to improve their defense capabilities. The goals of FMF are
- Promoting national security by contributing to regional and global stability
- Strengthening military support for democratically-elected governments and containing transnational threats, including terrorism and trafficking in narcotics, weapons, and persons
- Fostering closer military relationships between the U.S. and recipient nations
Peacekeeping Operations (PKO) provide voluntary support for international peacekeeping activities. These funds support non-U.N. operations and training in response to a nation’s crisis. The goals of PKO are
- Promoting increased involvement of regional organizations in conflict resolution
- Helping leverage support for multinational efforts in the event of a nation's crisis
The International Military Education and Training program (IMET) offers military training on a grant basis to foreign military officials. The goals of IMET are
- Encouraging effective, defense relationships
- Promoting interoperability with U.S. and coalition forces
- Exposing foreign civilian and military officials to democratic values, military professionalism, and international norms of human rights
Notable foreign military Aid
Egypt's $1.3 billion annual military aid package helped make its army a “capable, professional force,” which proved to have “incalculable value” in the Hosni MubarakHosni Mubarak
Muhammad Hosni Sayyid Mubarak is a former Egyptian politician and military commander. He served as the fourth President of Egypt from 1981 to 2011....
crisis in 2011.
Despite its relatively small size, Israel is the largest recipient of U.S. foreign military assistance. It received a total of $53.6 billion in U.S. military grants between 1949 and 2007. Over the past decade, the U.S. has transferred more than $17 billion in military aid to this country of 7,746,000 people.
| Year | FMF $U.S. millions |
| 2001 | 1,975.6 |
| 2002 | 2,040.0 |
| 2003 | 3,086.4 |
| 2004 | 2,147.3 |
| 2005 | 2,202.2 |
| 2006 | 2,257.0 |
| 2007 | 2,340.0 |
| 2008 | 2,380.0 |
| 2009 | 2,550.0 |
| 2010 | 2,775.0 |
Criticisms
Critics cite that U.S. aid and training have contributed to human rights violations, supported corrupt and cruel governments, and protected the economic interests of multinational corporations. It is often believed that aid is given for political purposes, that it does not benefit the people in the target country, and it may even result in greater oppression and suffering. If military aid were cut off to Israel, the tax money could be spent in the United States to provide 364,000 low-income households with affordable housing vouchers, or to retrain 498,000 workers for green jobs, or to provide access to primary health care services for 24 million uninsured Americans.Currently, Congress wants to cut defense spending by lowering the amount of aid given to foreign militaries. Money saved from proposed cutbacks could benefit the U.S. military, which is closing military bases, freezing pay raises for service members, and cutting the defense budget by $78 billion for 2011.
Particular targets of criticism include
- Funds appropriated to the State Department and Defense Department represent the vast majority of unclassified military aid and assistance. The public does not have any way of tracking classified programs administered by the U.S. intelligence community.
- The U.S. provides assistance to the ColombiaColombiaColombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
n army which has documented ties with paramilitary groups on the U.S. terrorist list. - Foreign aid often aids the giver, not the recipient.
- Corruption is a major problem. Funds often go directly to leaders who may not share the aid with citizens.
- The United States gives the same amount of money to its top five aid recipients as they give to the rest of the world.
- Military aid went to Latin American dictatorships in the second half of the 20th century.
- TunisiaTunisiaTunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
has received military aid for several helicopters despite blatant human rights violations, abuse of power and the existence of a police state.
See also
- Military budget of the United StatesMilitary budget of the United StatesThe military budget is that portion of the United States discretionary federal budget that is allocated to the Department of Defense, or more broadly, the portion of the budget that goes to any defense-related expenditures...
- United States Foreign Military FinancingUnited States Foreign Military FinancingThe Foreign Military Financing program provides grants and loans to help countries purchase weapons and defense equipment produced in the United States as well as acquiring defense services and military training. FMF funds purchases are made through the Foreign Military Sales program, which...
- United States Agency for International DevelopmentUnited States Agency for International DevelopmentThe United States Agency for International Development is the United States federal government agency primarily responsible for administering civilian foreign aid. President John F. Kennedy created USAID in 1961 by executive order to implement development assistance programs in the areas...
- Foreign policy of the United States
- Criticism of U.S. foreign policy
- United States security assistance to the Palestinian AuthorityUnited States security assistance to the Palestinian AuthorityUnited States security assistance to the Palestinian Authority has been provided since the Palestinian Authority was established by the Oslo Accords in the mid-1990s. The security assistance was given on an ad hoc basis and often covert at the outset. Since 2005 the U.S...
Further reading
- Fiscal Year 2008 Budget Request: International Affairs (PDF), U.S. Congress.
- Congressional Budget Justification: Foreign Operations (PDF), Fiscal year 2008, U.S. Congress.
- The Greenbook (U.S. Overseas Loans and Grants, Obligations and Loan Authorizations), U.S. Agency for International Development.