I do wonder whether much of USAID and similar programs are an instance of a road to hell paved with good intentions. If professional NGOs hollow out existing local organizations and destroy local ability to organize on the cheap, they may be basically condemning entire countries to perpetual dependence on someone's else's politics and budgets.
Von Braun used the Nazi war machine to make his rockets. Musk ran DOGE. They’re both political figures by their own choices.
After reading this
https://www.astralcodexten.com/p/breakdown-in-pakistan
and this
https://lydialaurenson.substack.com/p/the-time-i-joined-peac...
I do wonder whether much of USAID and similar programs are an instance of a road to hell paved with good intentions. If professional NGOs hollow out existing local organizations and destroy local ability to organize on the cheap, they may be basically condemning entire countries to perpetual dependence on someone's else's politics and budgets.
That’s the point. I’m not being cynical, USAID is self-serving diplomacy. Doesn’t make zeroing out the budget the right call though.
The important factor isn't politics. It's ethics. Saying it's about politics is obfuscation.
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