USAID translates U.S. national security and foreign policy goals into Agency priorities
Richard Hubert Barton
June 18, 2024
While a great deal of controversies have arisen in the world-wide activities of USAID it may be worthwhile to explore its attempts of preventing individuals from finding information that challenges official narratives.
Introduction
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) was created by the U.S. president John Fitzgerald Kennedy on 3 November 1961. The justification for its creation was his firm belief that the U.S. hegemonic position in the world could not be maintained just through the use of military means but had to be supplemented by economic assistance as well. After more than 60 years of its existence, USAID is active in over 30 countries with its annual budget of over $30 billion and it employs over 11 thousand people while its goals have not changed. [John Norris, The Enduring Struggle The History of The U.S. Agency for International Development and America’s Uneasy Transformation of The World, Rowman & Littlefield, New York, 2021, 1-27]
In August 2022 the present day administrator of USAID, Samantha Power told the House Foreign Affairs Committee the following: “An international order that values democracy and human rights and respects international borders is not given. Indeed, authoritarian actors are challenging and aiming to reshape it. We have to invest in the stable and more humane world that we need.”
On 17 May 2023 senator Michael McCaul while attending a session of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, insisted that the U.S. Agency for International Development didn’t go far enough in addressing the threat posed by the Chinese Communist Party. He even went further by stating the need to project U.S. global leadership around the world.
While a great deal of controversies have arisen in the world-wide activities of USAID it may be worthwhile to focus on and to explore its attempts of preventing individuals from finding information that challenges official narratives, of using misinformation, disinformation and fake news. Some ideas on those aspects were provided by Alan MacLeod of Mint Press News who dealt with global censorship in the name of democracy.
Is USAID a purely humanitarian foreign aid organization?
It may be enough to read depictions of many projects by USAID and have an overwhelming impression, especially in education and healthcare that the purpose of them is to improve people’s lot of those in poverty stricken areas in developing countries. For this purpose it may be handy to elaborate on the educational input by USAID. The prime example of it could be PROGRESS REPORT 2018–2021. Indeed, it is hard not to be impressed with the data and the achievements presented in the report.
Let’s be brief about them. Since 2018, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has worked in more than 80 countries, as the report emphasizes to ensure that children and youth have access to the education and skills they need to become productive members of society. In fiscal year 2020 USAID’s global education programs achieved: over 24 million learners reached across the spectrum of pre-primary through higher education, over 580 higher education institutions (HEIs) provided with capacity development support, 300,000 educators, administrators and officials trained and over 93,000 public and private schools assisted at the pre-primary, primary and secondary levels.
One may wonder on the impact of such activities on the recipients of aid. Surely, most of the young ones know little about the USA and its policies in the world and U.S. promoted education may be viewed with great admiration as the only tangible experience. On the basis of this, they have every reason to think Americans are generous people who care about children and youth in foreign countries not expecting anything in return. One can imagine that when they receive parcels and boxes of books and teaching materials marked “From the American People” the students are filled with enthusiasm and their eyes are about to spark. Under such circumstances some aid recipients and their families may find it difficult to persist with some negative perceptions about America that they had come across earlier.
In fact, one may claim that many, if not most of such programs have no other aim than education but are they for nothing in return? After all, they create and spread a positive image about the U.S. For those standing seemingly idly at the side (the State Dept. and the CIA) consider it the first, initial stage for further penetration if needed.
Are there for instance, among the countries that were included in the above project or similar projects cases that had its citizens possibly disinformed? One of the cases coming to mind is that of Kyrgyzstan.
According to the Kyrgyz foreign minister Temir Sariyev the U.S. Agency for international Development would lose its privileged status over an award conferred on a jailed dissident. The award of a U.S. State Department human rights prize bestowed on Azimjon Askarov, a journalist and activist who is serving a life sentence on charges of inciting ethnic hatred in this Central Asian nation. It is an obvious interference into internal affairs of Kyrgyzstan in terms of legal system, ethnic affairs and possibly spreading disinformation.
Stakes are much higher in USAID involvement in Uganda. Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni, in 2023 signed into law a bill that could lead to the death penalty for people found guilty of “aggravated homosexuality,” defined as same-sex acts involving people living with HIV or minors, among others.
As a result the World Bank and USAID will review their work in Uganda, adding their voices to protests over Uganda’s anti-gay bill, which could jeopardize billions of dollars in funding the two institutions spend in the East African country. The measures are undoubtedly harsh but it is a conflict of cultures and values.
By actively participating in Ugandan politics associated with opposing Uganda’s anti-gay bill USAID is promoting western and not African values. Making arguments that challenges official government narrative so far came to nothing.
USAID Administrator Samantha Power rushed to reiterate USAID support for LGBTQI+ rights President Biden heavily criticized Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Act (AHA) depicting it is a tragic violation of universal human rights—one that is not worthy of the Ugandan people, and one that jeopardizes the prospects of critical economic growth for the entire country. How does president Biden know that such regulations are not worthy the Ugandan people? Perhaps the Ugandan people think that they are worthy of such a piece of legislation and think that the American people are not worthy LGBTQI+ rights.
By taking part vigorously in Ugandan politics related to LGBTQI+ USAID cast doubts on the explanations provided by most Ugandan parliamentarians. This is the case when USAID promoting western and not African values.
By actively participating in Ugandan politics associated with opposing Uganda’s anti-gay bill USAID is promoting western and not African values. Making arguments that challenges official government narrative so far came to nothing.
Such a stand aims and may lead to increased questioning of the Ugandan political system. So far, to USAID disappointment it hasn’t eventuated – Ugandan society seem to support the government anti-LGBTQI+ approach.
Biden vows to counter democratic backsliding by imposing costs for coups in Africa. Is it the case of hooha?
In views of Nigerien Presidential Guard Commander General Tchiani the “continuing degradation of the security situation and poor economic and social governance” justified his July 2023 deposing of president Bazoum. Yet, some observers argue that his real motivation was fear of being replaced.
The effectiveness of regional mechanisms has also decreased. ECOWAS failed to marshal a consensus for military action against the Niger coup. It was further weakened by Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso’s withdrawal in January 2024, aimed at reducing regional pressure on the juntas to return to constitutional rule and hold elections. This tactic seems to have worked as ECOWAS’ fear of fragmentation and loss of relevance has compelled it to re-open dialogue with the juntas and lift most of its sanctions on Niger.
How frequent are coup d’états in Africa? Most briefly, there have been 18 military coups on the continent since 2020. nly half of the were successful ones. As all centered on a group of Francophone states commentators have coined a new term “a Sahelian coup belt.”
To deal with the scourge of coups which had been apparent decades earlier (there was an average of four coup attempts a year in Africa between 1960 and 2000). Africa had seemingly established an anti-coup norm after the Lomé Declaration of 2000, which mandated immediate suspension from the Organization of African Unity (now African Union or AU) for illegal seizures of power. Up to 2017 the coups were reduced by half.
The U.S. attempted to apply particularly tough measures against the putschist leaders in Niger, At first, they organized an armed intervention by Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and they failed. Then Victoria Nuland threatened with the cancellation of the United States aid package to Niger.
What about the role of USAID in Niger? It did with Banyan Global in partners a gender analysis for 2022-2027. Little if anything has been done to curb 7 children plus highest fertility rates in the world. In 1960 the population of Niger was 3.5 million and by 2017 it reached nearly 20 million. If nothing is done about it, the population is set to double in 17 years! However, a lot of things were done in other areas.
Some of the main efforts were directed toward strengthening Democratic Institutions and Providing For Free And Fair Elections.
Ahead of the 2020-2021 local, parliamentary, and presidential elections, USAID supported preparations for a peaceful and credible democratic transition, including political dialogue, drafting a revised electoral code and electoral procedures, capacity building of political parties, voter registration and education, and prevention of electoral violence.
Unlike in educational nearly world-wide programs with children and youth USAID officials gained direct access to the Nigerien political elite. It will be enough to say USAID trained a total of 71 newly elected members of parliament (MPs), including every woman MP (52 women), on their roles, the national budget, and legislative and regulatory drafting techniques. USAID declared in advance that would be preparing to support additional electoral system reforms ahead of the 2025 national elections.
Not long ago, President Joe Biden vowed that the U.S. would “counter democratic backsliding by imposing costs for coups” in Africa. But three weeks after a military mutiny in Africa involving U.S.-trained officers, the Pentagon refuses to call the takeover in Niger a coup d’etat. Not only that contacts established by USAID with Nigerien parliamentarian turned out useless but the rapport with the military brass failed to restore the pre-coup state of affairs.
There was no chance of drawing the political elite to contradict General Tchiani narrative of the event by USAID. Following Biden they all lied claiming that the latest Nigerien coup was just an attempted coup.
If one takes into account a 20 years long period of U.S. military presence and huge military spending (over $500 million) and wrong “expertly” assessments it was a terrible fiasco. As if it wasn’t enough Americans have a new worry: they are busy monitoring the purchases of Nigerien uranium by Iran.
When preventing individuals from finding information challenging official narratives may not be part of USAID job
Using as the background of this section one has to mention at least briefly some horrible things – genocide in Gaza and Israel.
It is commonly known an not contested that as of 21 May 2024, over 37,000 people (35,562 Palestinian and 1,478 Israelis) have been reported as killed in the Israel–Hamas war. Israeli civilians were murdered by Hamas mostly in the beginning of the conflict in October last year, while most of Palestinians were killed as a result of indiscriminate bombing, artillery shelling as well as a result of dehydration and lack of food. The genocide of Palestinians continues.
There are other shocking developments that have a great impact on the flow of information and the media. Namely, since Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza was launched, 80 journalists have been arrested from Gaza and the West Bank, while over 170 others were killed. The numbers of killed Palestinian journalists surpasses drastically the numbers of journalists killed in the six years of WWII (68) and the number of journalists that got killed during the 20 years of the Vietnam War (69).
What’s the purpose of deliberately targeting Palestinian journalists? The Gaza Government Media Office gives a straightforward answer: to obscure the Palestinian narrative, distort the facts and prevent journalists from documenting the crimes of the Israeli occupation forces to the public.
Consequently, the brutal killings and detention of Palestinian journalists by the Israeli Government and its Army deprived USAID some of its typical jobs done by it. In this war scenario there is hardly possible for anyone to listen any question the Palestinian narrative. The Palestinian journalists are either killed or in hiding.
Nevertheless, it seems to be only half of the story.
USAID Officials at the United States Agency for International Development sent in April this year a confidential memo to Secretary of State Antony Blinken claiming that Israel is violating a White House directive by blocking humanitarian aid from entering the besieged Gaza Strip during its ongoing genocidal assault on the Palestinian enclave.
What’s more we learn that Devex’s Lynch reported in a confidential communication— entitled Famine Inevitable, Changes Could Reduce But Not Stop Widespread Civilian Deaths — that USAID “assesses the government of Israel (GOI) does not currently demonstrate necessary compliance” with a February 8 White House memo requiring the secretary of state to obtain assurances from governments receiving U.S. military aid that such assistance is used in compliance with human rights law.
The document was approved by 10 USAID officials, underscoring its widespread backing of the findings. Sonali Korde, the agency’s deputy assistant administrator and head of the Bureau for Humanitarian Affairs, signed off on the document with the phrase INFO, bureaucratic shorthand for passing it up the chain of command without committing to its conclusions.
So now it seems to be clear that at least as far as human rights are concerned, USAID is not to challenge the Palestinian narrative but the narrative of Israeli government.
The dark day in the history of U.S. assistance to Georgia
Analysis of recent political situation provide a fairly rich ground for better understanding of the role assigned to USAID. It is so, as in the Georgian political context USAID in its actions went beyond disinformation, misinformation, fake news and undermining official narratives of the Georgian government and the democratic system of Georgia. Also, the declarations of the government and the opposition were numerous, loud and clearly formulated. So the grasp of the situation is clear.
The Georgian parliament passed a law with 84 deputies for and 30 against on foreign agents. It obliges about 10 thousand existing in Georgia NGOs and the media register and fill out declarations on an annual basis. Any insubordination will be punishable with fines or a jail term of up to 5 years.
Worth mentioning, NGOs and Media that received money were in a position to influence public opinion or decision-making processes in public life. Those in opposition made ridiculous claims about the law as standing in the way of Georgian integration with Europe. In response, the supporters of the law reminded that such legal regulations existed in the USA, Spain, Australia and in the European Union it is being considered. Puzzlingly, among those calling to vote against the law were not only the U.S., the EC but also the UN, the NATO as well as the Council of Europe. 16 How hypocritical can you get!
In the background of the heated debate about foreign agents there was an ongoing struggle to weaken if not to destroy the fragile Georgian democracy. The Speaker of the Georgian Parliament, Shalva Papuashvili went back to 2020 when there was an attempt to discredit the key election watchdog ISFED that would undermine the electoral results of the Georgian Dream Party. Involved in that was USAID which claimed that ISFFED “spread false results of the parallel count” something that ISFED itself repeatedly denied. Despite this USAID officials kept on spreading false electoral results. Papuashvili emphasized that USAID hasn’t responded to those claims and their silence serves as an affirmative answer.
The scope of illegitimate activities in Georgia by USAID in 2023 went much further.
On October 2,the Georgian security service SSSG revealed to the public that three Serbian trainers (Siniša Šikman, Jelena Stojšić, and Slobodan Djinovic) affiliated with the civil society organization CANVAS, were brought to Georgia to participate in a civil society engagement program funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and sought actively recruitment of activists with the intent of orchestrating the violent overthrow of Georgia’s lawfully elected government.
CANVAS, the U.S. Embassy, and the U.S. State Department have strongly denied the charge as “false” and “mischaracterizing the nature of assistance” by the United States government.
On October 11 and 12, the State Security Service of Georgia (SSSG) summoned Natalia Vatsadze, an actress, and Vakho Kareli, a photographer, all this, in a follow-up to the so-called “training plot” allegations.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili said that it has become clear that “foreign countries are actively involved” in these “revolutionary” activities with the arrival of citizens from abroad to conduct training sessions “disguised as training for individuals in the field of art and culture,” but really aimed at giving “instructions” on how to incite a revolution and overthrow the government by force.
On October 26 2023, Ambassador Erin Elizabeth McKee, USAID Assistant Administrator for Europe and Eurasia, refuted allegations by the ruling Georgian Dream party that USAID is “funding extremists” in Georgia through Georgian NGO projects as below.
“First and foremost, USAID works with a variety of civil society organizations and non-governmental organizations to help strengthen and improve the democratic process,” Ambassador McKee stated, saying that the objective of their work with civil society is “to ensure that every citizen’s voice is heard, [which] is fundamental to a thriving democracy.” In addition, she stressed: “Any claims that the United States through USAID is supporting revolution are patently false and, frankly, disinformation.”
In response GD Chair Kobakhidze argued that even though this training was purportedly about non-violent activism, in reality, it trained individuals “precisely in violent activism.” He stated that the goal was one: “chaos, revolution, and the ultimate goal, we all know what it is, the opening of the second front for Russia, which has not been achieved since 2022 when the war in Ukraine began.”
Summing up the illegitimate activities in Georgia GD Chair Kobakhidze couldn’t stop himself from saying that USAID which supposed helping Georgia is in fact funding “extremist activities.” He insisted on the need of clarifications by USAID “as to why such training, the direct purpose of which was to prepare for a revolution in Georgia, was funded by the USAID.”
Ending his remarks Kobakhidze argued that even though this training was purportedly about non-violent activism, in reality, it trained individuals “precisely in violent activism.” He stated that the goal was one: “chaos, revolution, and the ultimate goal, we all know what it is, the opening of the second front, which has not been achieved since 2022 when the war in Ukraine began.”
PM Irakli Garibashvili pronouncements were in a similar vein. He stated: “the only desire of the “destructive forces” is “to violently overthrow the government and open a second front [of the Russo-Ukrainian war – eds.] in the country. We remember the March demonstrations [in support of the EU and against the Russian law to restrict CSOs and independent media – eds.], how the students were used and then abandoned, how they were instructed to throw Molotov cocktails. These are their dirty, anti-national, anti-state plans."
https://strategic-culture.su/news/2024/ ... riorities/
