An Ounce of Prevention

One problem in US foreign policy is that we tend to focus our resources on addressing various kinds of crises -- security, humanitarian, etc. -- while letting our eye wander from festering problems that might tip over into crisis situation. This even thought an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Andrew Sweet and Natalie Ondiak have a report out for CAP in the context of foreign assistance programs and looking at five specific cases (Pakistan, Afghanistan, Liberia, Sudan and Ethiopia) "to explore how the off-and-on pattern of aid delivery undercuts our aims and the long-term sustainable security needs of these countries." Needless to say, recommendations for improvement are offered.

This article available online at:

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2008/07/an-ounce-of-prevention/49270/