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MAP: U.S. foreign aid to the Middle East and South Asia
Since the end of World War II, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has worked to further America's foreign policy interests in expanding democracy and free markets. U.S. foreign aid to the Middle East and South Asia has long played a key role in advancing U.S. foreign policy goals.
Most of the aid money provides nations with military support such as arms, education and training -- a strategic effort to discourage arms races among countries in the region and promote stability. Economic aid, meanwhile, has been used to further development efforts. With nearly half of the region's population under age 24, inadequate education and employment opportunities for this large youth population contribute to internal instability.
Afghanistan is the largest annual recipient of U.S. foreign assistance in South Asia, accounting for upwards of $10 billion in aid for FY 2010. Second is Pakistan, which received $4.4 billion in aid in 2010.
In the Middle East, Israel received $2.8 billion in 2010. Egypt receives an average of nearly $2 billion annually, mostly military aid.
For more information on U.S. foreign aid, including historical perspective and recent trends, read the Congressional Research Service's full 2010 report.
Source: Library of Congress (map); Congressional Research Service, June 2010 report (data)
Adam Popescu contributed to this report.
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I must say that Pam makes a very good point. One thing that I would like to highlight is that not only does Israel receives our Aid, it receives the MOST Aid in the middle east! I can think of many other countries in that region that could really use that Aid instead.
Besides, if we listen to Pam's suggestion to simply stop that Aid to Israel, we might just make some progress on our budget deficit issues, over which our politicians seems to struggle so bad these days…
As far as the US aid to Israel and the other countries in the region (note that aid to Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, and Palestine combined was more than to Israel) effecting the US budget deficit - keep in mind that the 2010 budget deficit was 1.29 trillion dollars. So, 2.8 billion dollars is about .3% of that number.
Charlie,
Egyptian people are arguably one of the most deserving of Aid in the Middle East. Egypt is poorer than it looks, or maybe it was just because Mubarak was pocketing most of the money. Now that he is out of the way, only time will tell...
I do not understand why we continue to send aid to Israel, and I also do not understand why the American press never questions it. Israel's economy is, unlike other economies, including our own, fine! They are not in the red. That aid should be stopped. In fact, if Israel were our true friend, they would TELL us to stop. Our own people are in dire straights. We cannot afford to give money to countries that are not in worse shape than we are, and Israel does not fit that description.
As an Israeli I agree with you Pam. I would love to see Israel stop suckling on American money. I think it's bad for Israel.
However, note that this money comes back to American companies, because the defense aid money, which is almost the entire aid, can only be spent on military equipment produced in the USA. So, you see, this money is a monopoly money in a sense, as we cannot use it anywhere but in America. This is just a way for the administration to funnel money to domestic defense corporations like Lockheed Martin, from which we bought our F-16s.
Please, don't get me wrong, we Israelis are grateful for the aid, I just wanted to point out that this map is not telling the entire story.
I agree with Pam and Elad, the spending is earmarked and can only be spent on specified scope.
Using the data above 2.275 billion goes to arms and another 25 million goes to systematically importing more Israeli migrants back into Israel, hence forth the need continued illegal housing developments.
I believe and hope everyone is writing to their Senators and Congressman/woman to reevaluate the annual 2.7 billion in aid. In light of the US's veto, blocking the UN resolution condemning the settlements despite the support of 120 other members. I understand to abstain from voting, but denying the Palestinian people justice and actively participate in the injustice so outlandishly? How can we continue to support the systematic demise of a people, on our tax dollars? The irony is how can the majority of Israelis who have been a victim of atrocities themselves administer a similar destruction on their biblical neighbors. How fast we learn to do unto others that was done us.
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