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At the UN Millennium Summit in 2000, 189 countries endorsed the Millennium Development Goals and pledged to achieve them by the year 2015. Goal Number 1 is to eradicate hunger and extreme poverty. According to the Human Development Report 2005 more than 1 billion people - one in six people in the world - survive on less than $1 a day. Nearly half the world lives on less than $2 a day. Dinner for two at an exclusive restaurant can cost more than the YEARLY income of a typical person in sub-Sahara Africa.
The Millennium Declaration included a pledge by wealthy countries to give 7/10 of 1% of their GNP as aid to developing countries. The United States currently gives less than one-quarter of its pledge. At the World Summit 2005 our ambassador to the UN John Bolton expressed concerns about the willingness of the U.S. to renew its pledge, but pressure from other nations kept the pledge intact. Why should the Millennium Development Goals be important to the U.S.? According to various researchers, over 40 percent of U.S. exports go to developing countries. Our economy depends in large part on the ability of these countries to purchase goods on the international market. Second, a correlation exists between poverty and the likelihood of conflict. With our overriding concerns about terrorism, it is in our own best interest to minimize warfare in countries that might otherwise breed anti-American sentiment. Third, our country has been built on a foundation of equality and human dignity. As demonstrated in recent domestic and international disasters, the American public is always ready to help people in need. Nevertheless, 7/10 of 1% of our GNP is almost $80 billion, an enormous sum of money. But there are ways to get it. The entire amount could be obtained by repealing the scheduled 2006 tax cuts for the wealthy. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, "the cost of the tax cuts enacted in 2001 and 2003 is $225 billion this year [2005] alone." A withdrawal of our troops from the Middle East would save $80 billion. A CATO Institute report concluded that the removal of unneeded weapons systems, military personnel, and associated costs for the 2005 budget could have saved $80 billion, a 20% reduction. In the long run, if we succeed in accomplishing the Millennium Development Goals, the increased economic and political stability in developing countries will make the world more secure while opening up new opportunities for global trade. References: Human Development Report 2005 (http://hdr.undp.org/reports/global/2005/pdf/HDR05_chapter_1.pdf) Poverty Facts and Stats (http://www.globalissues.org/TradeRelated/Facts.asp) "Why Health Is Important to U.S. Foreign Policy," Jordan S. Kassalow (New York: Council on Foreign Relations, 2001) "Human Security Report 2005" http://www.humansecurityreport.org/HSR2005/Part5.pdf, p. 152 "Katrina Relief and Federal Spending and Deficits," by Jim Horney, Robert Greenstein, and Richard Kogan, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (http://www.cbpp.org/9-17-05bud.htm) "$400 Billion Defense Budget Unnecessary to Fight War on Terrorism," by Charles V. Pena, CATO Institute (http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=3711) |