Your Tax Dollars in Foreign Elections
by Jeff Davis
A Washington Post article reports “The Bush administration is spending foreign aid money to increase the popularity of the Palestinian Authority on the eve of crucial elections in which the governing party faces a serious challenge from the radical Islamic group Hamas. The approximately $2 million program is being led by a division of the U.S. Agency for International Development. But no U.S. government logos appear with the projects or events being undertaken as part of the campaign, which bears no evidence of U.S. involvement and does not fall within the definitions of traditional development work. U.S. officials say their low profile is meant to ensure that the Palestinian Authority receives public credit for a collection of small, popular projects and events to be unveiled before Palestinians select their first parliament in a decade. Internal documents outlining the program describe the effort as “a temporary paradigm shift” in the way the aid agency operates. The plan was designed with the help of a former U.S. Army Special Forces officer who worked in postwar Afghanistan on democracy-building projects. U.S. and Palestinian officials say they fear the election, scheduled for Wednesday, will result in a large Hamas presence in the 132-seat legislature.”
George Bush and his neocon friends are now spending foreign aid money to “increase the popularity” of the notoriously corrupt and sycophantic Fatah party on the eve of crucial elections. Since when is it OK for our government to pay money to influence democratic elections in foreign nations? What if the Red Chinese or the European Union decides to influence our election by funneling untraceable cash to the party they like most? A few Americans may remember charges that the Clinton regime was trading nuclear weapon and missile technology to the Chinese for big bags of cash. The Bush Republicans are simply slaves for Israel fighting war after war to soothe the paranoia of Israel.
Like all democratic politicians, Fatah has decided to get busy and do some nice things for the voters now that there’s an election coming, and they’ve conned us into paying for it. The Washington Post article notes “Elements of the U.S.-funded program include a street-cleaning campaign, distributing free food and water to Palestinians at border crossings, donating computers to community centers and sponsoring a national youth soccer tournament.”
It is believed, although not proven, that CIA funds are also being channeled to the Palestinians for such things as media advertising, salaries, “security costs” (read gunmen and strong arm gangs for the polls) and outright bribes. This is in direct violation of U. S. law, but then this administration stopped caring about little things like the law a long time ago. These people in Washington basically just do whatever the hell they want, since they have discovered that they can lie us into war, spy on people without warrants and shred the Constitution without any serious impeachment threat arising.