American Politics Today - Essentials (3rd Ed)

486 CHAPTER 15|FOREIGN POLICY

Diplomacy has often been a useful but limited foreign policy tool.

For example, American and Mexican diplomats signed an agree-

ment in 2010 to deter the transportation of illegal drugs across

the U.S.–Mexican border. And American diplomats are involved in

many behind-the-scenes eff orts to help resolve international dis-

putes, such as the ongoing disagreement between Argentina and

Great Britain over ownership of the Falkland Islands.

FOREIGN AID

Foreign aid comprises money, products, or services given to other

countries or the citizens of these countries. Sometimes foreign aid refl ects the

desire to provide basic assistance to satisfy fundamental human needs. For exam-

ple, the American military is often tasked to deliver food and medical supplies to

the victims of earthquakes and other natural disasters. Foreign aid also serves to

stimulate economic growth in other nations and to facilitate international agree-

ments. For example, the peace treaty between Egypt and Israel in 1979 was facili-

Source: Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, “Development Co-operation Report 2010,” April 23, 2010, http://www.oecd.org/dac/dcr
(accessed 9/25/12).

U.S. FOREIGN AID IN COMPARATIVE PERSPECTIVE

This fi gure shows foreign aid contributions expressed as a percentage of gross national income. Do these data imply
that America is less generous than other nations in its willingness to donate aid?

FIGURE » 15.2

0.0

0.2

Percentage of GNI0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

1.2

Norway

Luxembourg

SwedenDenmark

Netherlands

Belgium

United Kingdom

FinlandIrelandFranceSpain

SwitzerlandGermany

CanadaAustraliaAustriaPortugal

New ZealandUnited States

JapanGreeceItaly

IRAN’S NUCLEAR PROGRAM IS A CAUSE
of concern for U.S. offi cials and
IAEA inspectors. Although Iran
claims its program is focused on
energy, not weapons, this claim
is widely doubted. Here, Iranian
president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
tours a nuclear enrichment
facility.