The simple political reality for Congress is that foreign aid does not get votes – bringing the pork home does.

I urge my Congressional representatives to act in these instances, but I don’t see too many results.
It seems that everywhete I look these days, this country answers with a resounding ‘can’t do’.

Where was the American assistance when that terrible earthquake hit Pakistan in 2005?

Once again, it was rotors to the rescue, and more.

Or where has the United States been in aiding the 3 million Iraqi refugees that now languish in Syria and Jordan? Heck, where was the United States after the recent Israeli-Lebanese war?

Ask them — do they want us there, and are we safe there? We have helped in Lebanon, you realize. (???)

If we visit, we’re the object of complaint and criticism for intruding, or worse, for taking sides (even if and when we don’t). Exactly what is it that we ought to do? “Make people feel better and bring democracy and human rights to the rest of the world” is too vague and ambitious at the same time.

Jeb, you seem to forget that the executive branch cannot create monies for aid and has limited authority to reprogram funds. If you want the OFDA budget increased, I suggest you write your representatives in Congress. I support the US doing much more foreign disaster assistance and support a significant increase in that budget.

Because of limited funds, lack of NGO access, etc., Presidents sometimes used the military for disaster relief. Although USAID funds for the Central Asian earthquake in 2005 (which affected India too) were about $70 million, another $106 million in aid from military budgets was allocated and does not include all of the operational costs themselves.

As for Lebanon, we did commit $230 million in reconstruction. The simple fact is that most of the damaged areas are controlled by Hezbollah and they have and are ensuring they get credit for reconstruction above all others, particularly the United States, no matter where the funding originates. Maybe if the Lebanese government actually had control over its own territory, things might be different.