Before I even address this subject I need to point out out three things - 1st I am not an accountant, 2nd I only looked at the Smithsonian's summary and the State Department's International Affairs, 3rd I'm not an accountant. But let's start with State and some logic. Keep in mind this is not State's entire budget request.
We are paying $27.7 million to protect Foreign Diplomatic Missions and Diplomats. Of that $25 million goes to the NYPD, so I assume we're discussing the UN. I do not have a problem with providing the protection, I have a problem with providing and paying for it. If I hired a bodyguard, who pays him, me or my neighbors? Bill the UN members that we provide protection for. Those that don't pay we don't protect.
Why does Secretary Clinton's office have a $52 million budget? Let's cut that by $10 million. She'll just have to make do.
Why is State paying $11.4 million for Counterterrorism? Isn't that what DHS, DOD, and the FBI do?
We pay $317.6 million for the Diplomatic Security Service. Let's transfer all of the Agents, forensic folks, armors, range instructors, etc to the Secret Service and FBI and terminate all of the management personnel. That could save us at least another $25 million.
Why is there an $8.2 million line item to reimburse Diplomatic and Consular personnel for official representation of the United States? Isn't that their job???
Now, I don't have a clue as to what the UN and some other international organizations operating expenses are. But we contribute $1.62 BILLION to them. The UN has 191 members. Does the combines budgets of these organizations come to $309.42 BILLION? I doubt it. Our fair share should not be more than 1/2 of 1%. Let the other member nations pay their fair share. If the UN doesn't like it, show them how to get to JFK and LaGuardia!
We pay $1.9 BILLION as our "fair share" of UN peacekeeping missions. I have two issues about this. First if the UN must put a peacekeeping force in a country, let that country pay for it. If they can't afford it, have the nations bordering the host nation pay for it. If they can't or won't pay for it, pull the peacekeepers out. Secondly, if we contribute $1.9 BILLION to the UN Peacekeeping forces, and some of those troops and equipment belong to us, do we bill the UN for their use? I mean like pay and allowances for the troops, food, ammunition, POL, vehicle parts, lost and destroyed equipment. If we're not being reimbursed for those expenses than that $1.9 BILLION could actually be double or even triple that figure. Currently our "fair share" of the peacekeeping mission amounts to 27.2% of the total cost. How much do the other 190 nations pay?
If we were to cut Useless Aid - I mean USAID - salaries and admin costs by 20% we'd save an additional $318 million. USAID provides $8.7 BILLION to the Global Health and Child Survivor Program. It's a worthy program, but ONLY if we're allowed to audit the accounts and hold the foreign fund managers and heads of state accountable. If not, no money. I don't know how much we've given Egypt in the last 30 years, but Mubarek left a Billionaire. That's bogus! There's an additional $56 million in the budget for Transition Initiatives in conflict prone nations. Back to the Mubarek question!!
State has budgeted $860.7 million for international disaster assistance. Cut it in half, after all how many of nations of the world have actually come to our aid in the event of a national disaster? I can count 1!!!
There is $6 BILLION for "economic support." Of that Sudan gets $335.7 million, the Democratic Republic of the Congo gets $59.9 million and Zimbabwe gets $39.1 million. Cut them by 50% and let the European Union pick up the difference. Burma gets $35.1 million. What do the other Asian nations contribute? Egypt has a revolution in progress and Jordan has one that's apparently just beginning. State has budgeted them $250 million and $360 million respectively. May as well just burn the cash! We're giving $325.7 million to Iraq. Let them give us a 10 year lease on their oil fields in return! We're giving $400.4 million to Gaza and the West Bank. If it's worth doing, let Israel do it. Same thing for the $100 million to Lebanon! Now the two biggies. $1.6 BILLION to Afghanistan and $1.3 BILLION to Pakistan. If they really need, and want, that money than let them bring us the heads of Osama Bin Laden and all of his colleagues - that seems fair.
State wants to give $33.3 million in "economic support" to Mexico. Illegal immigrants working in this country mail plenty of "economic support" home. Delete the line item and give it to Homeland Security for the border fence! Hillary wants to give Venezuela $5 million because Hugo loves us, and another $20 million to Cuba. I also like the $626.7 million to Europe, Eurasia, and Central Asia to help the various 'stans (Turkestan, Kozekistan, Hardyandstan). Again let their neighbors and the EU bail them out.
If the Peace Corps is an organization of Volunteers, why does it cost $440 million?
State contributes $1.5 BILLION for "Adjusted International Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement." Isn't that what we pay the DEA and FBI to do? Of those dollars, the Mexican Police gets $248.5 million and the Columbian Police another $160.6 million. Hell, they get more than that from the drug cartels.
State is budgeting $4 million to the State Department Police. Think about that. EVERY Executive Department has it's own police force. The Congress has it's own police force - the Keystone Kops - oops, the Capital Police. Here's a suggestion, transfer every Federal Cop (i.e. State, VA, Labor, etc), Sergeant and below, to the Capital Police - with their agency cop budget - and terminate all of the administrators except those that the Capital Police can use. How much would we save there?
You vets will like this. State has budgeted $60 million to train the Sudanese People's liberation Army. I have to issues with that. First, there are other nation's with a People's Liberation Army. One of these is the Army of the People's Republic of China (Red China)! Why did the Sudanese pick that name I wonder? Second, just what in the hell do those hand ringing, limp wristed, leftists down at Foggy Bottom know about training an Army? They couldn't train the Salvation Army in how to ring bells outside of Wal-Mart!
We're paying $51 million for African Union Peacekeepers in Somalia. When did we join the African Union?
We're paying $26 million for the UN Multi-National Force and Observers in the Sinai. Do we have troops involved, if not why are we paying? If so, are we being reimbursed for our expenses? And what happens to them when the Muslim Brotherhood takes over Egypt and heads for Tel Aviv?
State has budgeted $110 million for International Military Education and Training. Those dollars are going to 5 African nations that don't care for us much, 5 Asian nations - none of whom are really friendly, 7 Near East Nations - of which 3 don't like us, one's in the middle of a revolution, and one that's in the beginnings of a revolution. $14.7 million of those funds are going to India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan - three countries that shoot at each at the drop of a hat! $16.6 million of it is going to Columbia, El Salvador, and Mexico - that makes perfect sense to me??
Finally, Foreign Military Financing. $350 million to Pakistan. Who are they going to use it on? $85.6 million to Columbia and Mexico. Didn't we already train the Mexican Army Special Ops folks? And didn't they than desert en masse and aren't they now the most ruthless and bloodthirsty drug cartel in northern Mexico?
We're going to skip the Smithsonian. I could only provide a paltry $113 million in net savings from their budget summary.
"Blessed are the young for they shall inherit the national debt." Herbert Hoover
Gunner Sends.
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