[shrinkermd]

To many longtime Africa supporters, all of this is surprising for a president who is often criticized as lacking curiosity about much of the world and who heads a political party traditionally skeptical of the efficacy of foreign aid.

But attacking African poverty has become a growing priority of some of the religious groups at the core of Bush's political base, and some lawmakers credit them with stoking the president's interest in the subject.

"The evangelical community raised the awareness of HIV and AIDS to the president," said Rep. Donald M. Payne (N.J.), the top-ranking Democrat on the House International Relations subcommittee on Africa. "When the Bush administration came in, HIV and AIDS were not an overwhelming priority. Now we have seen a total metamorphosis."

What the leftists and MSM misses is this not a hunt for "legacy." POTUS does what he thinks is right. Until they discover that they will not understand his true stature and ultimate power in foreign affairs.

[ARE SOLE]

While we quietly pay for it.


Regards.

[ca centered]

Sending aid to Ethiopia would be great to help in their fight against Islam. But more dollars to fight aids or whatever is a waste. Is he sending his money or ours?

[Bon mots]

Every penny of it wasted.

We should stop sending money to turd world countries.

Give it back to the taxpayers.

[Dick Bachert]

The Dark Continent has again become a Black Hole for the tax slaves of the U.S.

Does anyone REALLY think a group of folks who believe that raping 2 YEAR-OLD babies will cure AIDS will stop the behavior that infected them in the first place?

[fso301]

I don't think he had any choice. Aid had to be increased to counter the mid-East petro dollars pouring into sub Saharan Africa.

[shrinkermd]

Comments are missing the point. President Bush did what he thought was right full well knowing that many in his party would be disappointed or angry.

[Zeon Cowboy]

That money is just going down the toilet as far as we're concerned. Those countries need extensive social reforms. Throwing money at them isn't doing anything.

[BenLurkin]

True.

What they miss is that egotistical blow-hard from the 90s who would have made numerous public pronouncements as to how hard he worked and how he had taken these measure and why he....

Well -- you know what I mean.

[KantianBurke]

Disgusting waste of taxpayer dollars. Might just as well set the money on fire or flush it down a toilet.

[popdonnelly]

"Bush doesn't care about black people." - Kanye West.

Someone should write a book about how the popular myths about the Bush Administration displaced the reality.

[Lancey Howard]

The president has tripled direct humanitarian and development aid to the world's most impoverished continent since taking office and recently vowed to double that increased amount by 2010 -- to nearly $9 billion.

$9 billion here, $9 billion there....

[ßuddaßudd]

Buying friends is not a good idea until they get here.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

And all of the money goes to corrupt tin-pot dictators. Foreign aid never goes to the people who need it.

And the funny thing is Bush will still get blamed for one thing or another anyway.

[July 4th]

And we still haven't found what we're looking for.

[hedgetrimmer]

The AIDs money is a bribe so that African countries will allow Direct Foreign Investment and so that their economies can be regionalized into the trading blocs the soviets, er internationalists are slavering for.

See the Doha round negotitations for details.

[JasonC]

Completely unsurprising and most welcome.

The narrow minded types who want their $30 back haven't got a clue.

[Wiseghy]

I seem to recall fierce attacks in the press against the Administration for failing to put enough Africa spending in the '02 and '03 budgets. They were pretty ugly about his "hypocrisy" in promising a post 9/11 initiative against aids and poverty in Africa as part of the PNAC strategy of draining the swamps.

Gee, could it be that those attacks were UNFAIR and BIASED in light of this low-key, non-politial giving since?

It seems the administration was simply looking for effective programs amid all the corruption, instead of just throwing money to around to score short-term domestic points, as Democratic Administrations have done. The money has increased as they have found those programs.

[little jeremiah]

I remember a while ago a great article by an African (can't remember country) who condemned "aid" to Africa, under the current circumstances. Most goes to line the pockets of fiendishly corrupt leaders, only increasing their power over the miserable people. Doesn't help anyone learn to help themselves, only keeps the wretched stew in the same condition.

If anyone remembers or finds this article, ping me.

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[NoCurrentFreeperByThatName]

"The evangelical community raised the awareness of HIV and AIDS to the president,"

Well then let the evangelicals keep passing the plate. Send their tithes to Africa.