US aiding other countries - Essay Example

Before we begin to discuss the negative consequences of aid, it is important to examine some of the good aspects, in order to dismiss them in the larger scheme of things. First, there are many current instances where the US has gone far in providing relief to the suffering countries. The US military worked harder than that of any other nation in aiding Pakistan to combat the flood disaster which the country has faced recently (Ignatius). An amount of almost $362 million has been spent by the helping nation which has saved over 20,000 flood victims in Pakistan (Ignatius).

Indeed, our current president is a big supporter of this style of friendly aid. These are all positive aspects of American foreign policy and are heartwarming. It often goes to help people who are truly in need. This is the good side of aid which everyone supports. But this is far from representing the true aspect of aid which we must face if we are fully understand how negative aid can be on a developing country. Indeed, this positive aspect is a kind of mask which aid wears in order to hide its negative side.

The truth is that much foreign aid is wasted. The best examples of this can be found in Africa. Africa is certainly one of the world’s wealthiest continents. It has large amounts of oil, timber, and precious metals. Its people are very intelligent and hardworking. Countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan, and Nigeria have so many resources that it is logical for them to have powerful, vibrant economies. Really, these countries should be the richest in the world. However, this is not the case.

All three of these countries have problems with corruption. And their situation is not unique: many African countries rate very high on Transparency International’s list of the world’s most corrupt countries. This is a sad but true fact. Many experts agree that corruption is holding Africa back. But where does corruption come from and