Most Americans Want to End U.S. Foreign Aid to Arab Nations

As oil prices surge and concerns mount that instability in the Middle East and North Africa may derail a global economic recovery, most Americans favor cutting U.S. foreign aid, particularly to Arab nations, according to a new national survey from Rasmussen Reports.

Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq and Egypt are among the top recipients of U.S. foreign aid, trailing only Israel in core assistance and diplomatic support. The Department of State/USAID 2012 budget for sustainable, long-term investments in operations and assistance totals $47 billion—only 1 percent more than comparable full-year 2010 levels. Secretary of State Hillary ClintonHillary Clinton says the budget requests provide the necessary resources for diplomats and development experts to address complex threats to U.S. national security.

Billions of U.S. dollars are provided in aid to the Middle East, including $5.3 billion in support to Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.

Afghanistan: $2.3 billion in assistance to target the priority sectors of governance, rule of law, counternarcotics, agriculture, economic growth, health, infrastructure, and education in Afghanistan.

Pakistan: $1.9 billion in assistance to promote a secure, stable, democratic and prosperous Pakistan with a focus on energy, economic growth, agriculture, infrastructure and the delivery of health and education services, and strengthening the Government of Pakistan’s capacity to govern effectively and accountably.

Iraq: $1 billion in assistance to support Iraq’s economic growth activities in the provinces and at the local level with a particular focus on agriculture, job creation, and essential service provision as well as infrastructure support and educational and cultural exchange programs.

The U.S. State Department also allocated $7.4 billion for the support of key U.S. allies and partners critical to American national security, including:

- $3.1 billion in military assistance to Israel

- $1.3 billion in military assistance for Egypt, maintaining traditional levels of funding as we support the Egyptian people in their moment of transition

- $300 million in military assistance to Jordan

- $350 million for Pakistan

- $500 million + for 70 other strategic partners around the world

Another $9.1 billion is doled out for conflict resolution and economic security including:

- $3.3 billion in economic assistance to Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan to help strengthen governance, strengthen the rule of law (a subset of the frontline states mentioned above).

- Nearly $1 billion in economic and development assistance to help strengthen and stabilize fragile states, including support to Yemen, Haiti, Liberia, Bangladesh, and Sudan.

- $4.5 billion to provide peacekeeping and development assistance to help developing countries recover from crises, establish good governance, and engage in the global economy, which will create greater stability worldwide.

Now, as concerns mount over instability in the Middle East and North Africa most Americans favor curbing U.S. foreign aid, particularly to Arab nations, according to a new national survey from Rasmussen Reports.

The research shows that only 20% of Americans think the U.S. should continue providing foreign aid to Arab countries in the Middle East. More than half, 58%, says it should be cut entirely. On the other hand, about half, 51%, of Americans, support continued U.S. foreign aid to Israel, while 32% oppose it.

Still, Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) has called for an end to all foreign aid, including the more than $3 billion the U.S. gives annually to Israel, as part of a proposed package of deep spending cuts.

Meanwhile, a growing number of Americans believe the U.S. should limit involvement in the upheaval in Libya and Egypt. In fact, 67% of Americans think the U.S. should stay out of the ongoing political unrest in Libya and other Arab nations. Only 29% think a change of government in any of these countries will be good for America. The survey finds that most Americans now fear that the political unrest roiling these countries may drag the U.S. country into another ongoing war.