President Obama is correct: Development should be part of America’s national security strategy

“Leadership means a wise application of military power, and rallying the world behind causes that are right. It means seeing our foreign assistance as part of our national security, not charity.”                                                                                                                                                            

WASHINGTON – In his final State of the Union address on Tuesday, President Obama said: “American leadership in the 21st century is not a choice between ignoring the rest of the world — except when we kill terrorists; or occupying and rebuilding whatever society is unraveling. Leadership means a wise application of military power, and rallying the world behind causes that are right. It means seeing our foreign assistance as part of our national security, not charity… When we help African countries feed their people and care for the sick, that prevents the next pandemic from reaching our shores. Right now, we are on track to end the scourge of HIV/AIDS, and we have the capacity to accomplish the same thing with malaria — something I’ll be pushing this Congress to fund this year. That’s strength. That’s leadership.”

Tom Hart, the North America executive director of The ONE Campaign, issued the following reaction:

“President Obama was right to note that reducing extreme poverty must be a part of our strategy for confronting violent extremism. Like military and political leaders from across the ideological spectrum, the President acknowledged that extreme poverty contributes to instability in some of the most vulnerable and most dangerous parts of the world. It leaves people without hope, without a stake in their futures, and without the tools to confront dangerous threats that could reach America’s shores. Efforts to reduce poverty, expand access to health care and education, and build strong democratic institutions for the poorest people in the poorest countries are too often overlooked in conversations about our national security. America is stronger and safer when it uses all the tools in its arsenal — defense, diplomacy, and development.

“In no small part, America’s strength flows from the strength of its relationships, its partnerships, and its friendships — not only with established democracies and trusted allies, but with striving people in rising nations who cherish freedom, justice, and equality every bit as much as we do. Many are only just starting to secure these rights, and too many are fighting to make sure these rights don’t slip away. It’s important that America’s partnerships with rising and struggling nations and its support for economic development in vulnerable parts of the world be just as smart, just as focused, and just as bold as any military action.

“The world is, indeed, turning the tide against the spread of HIV/AIDS and malaria, and ONE was excited to hear President Obama rally support for those fights in his address. Fighting the spread of these deadly diseases has long enjoyed strong bipartisan support, and ONE members around the country are ready to work with the President and Members of Congress to ensure that these important fights are fully funded in the coming year.”