The United States said on Saturday that it would offer Bangladesh close to $1 billion in aid over the next five years.
A U.S. Embassy statement said that the money would go towards alleviating poverty and malnutrition, as well as family planning and the fight against infectious diseases.
The funds will also be used to support research in improving farm productivity and deal with the impact of climate change.
As of 2011, the U.S. government has provided over $5.7 billion in development assistance to Bangladesh.
{Reuters/Matzav.com Newscenter}
A few notes: Bangladesh is a Muslim country. As such, it is a possible source of jihadists – terrorists. Who is most likely to become a terrorist? A young, unemployed male. Giving aid to Bangladesh will help them keep their economy growing, meaning fewer potential terrorists. Think of it as a form of Homeland Security pushed back to the source.
And only a billion? How much do we waste in subsidies to the oil industry? Wall Street banks? Giant agribusiness? Why do we subsidize sugar growers in the US, putting a high import tax on sugar from Central America, which only means that food manufacturers turn to high fructose corn syrup for sweeteners? Why do the oil companies run record profits no matter what the supply situation is, or how much we pay at the pump?
Only a billion? Come on, for our own homegrown money sponges that’s only chump change.