[Published 19 December 2018]
21 Nations that received almost $14 billion in US foreign aid in 2017 could become the key to unlocking the White House confrontation between President Trump and Democrat leaders Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer over their refusal to commit the Democrats to authorizing Congress to commit $5 billion immediately towards the construction of Trump’s border wall to prevent illegal immigration into America.
Trump’s threatened Government shutdown by 21 December seems increasingly likely as he seeks alternative sources of funding.
The following UN hit list of countries receiving US aid in 2017 offers a ready solution:
Bangladesh $261 millionThese 21 states were major players in humiliating Trump - when an American sponsored resolution in the United Nations General Assembly seeking to condemn Hamas and other militant groups for indiscriminately targeting Israel’s predominantly Jewish civilian population since 2007 failed to secure the required two-third’s majority earlier determined as necessary for its passage.
Congo $494 million
Egypt $ 1475 million
Indonesia $277 million
Iraq $ 3712 million
Jordan $ 1489 million
Lebanon $505 million
Mali $230 million
Morocco $490 million
Mozambique $580 million
Niger $173 million
Nigeria $852 million
Pakistan $837 million
Russia $168 million
Senegal $197 million
South Africa $511 million
Turkey $153 million
Vietnam $150 million
Yemen $595 million
Zambia $419 million
Zimbabwe $194 million
TOTAL $13762 Million
Trump has warned on many occasions that those who receive money from America — yet do not support America diplomatically — stand to lose financially as a result.
Trump has already well and truly practised what he preached:
1. Defunding the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) of $360 million annuallyTrump has already ominously warned those countries that humiliated him on the Hamas Resolution that they could be in the firing line for reductions in their annual foreign aid as a result of not voting with America.
2.Withdrawing from UNESCO leaving it to fund the 22% of its budget lost as a result
3.Calling on NATO countries to meet their agreed share of the NATO budget
4.Cutting more than $200 million in funding the Palestine Liberation Organisation
This threat becomes increasingly more likely as the Democrats dig in their heels and refuse to give the President the $5 billion he needs to build the border wall — one of the President’s cardinal promises made in the 2016 election campaign that has been frustrated by the Democrats from the day Trump became President.
Trump should be readily able to determine how $5 billion of this $14 billion funding to these recalcitrant states can be redirected to building the border wall.
Trump can also look at defunding:
1. Another 54 recipients of US aid that supported a two-thirds majority vote being required on the Hamas resolution over America’s claim that a simple majority only was necessary andJordan and Egypt — in addition to not voting with America — apparently continue to resist Trump’s efforts to replace the Palestine Liberation Organisation in negotiations with Israel on Trump’s peace proposals. Their aid could be substantially reduced by a clearly-piqued and very angered Trump.
2. An additional 36 similarly US-funded countries that voted against condemning Hamas on the actual motion
The ball is now well and truly in the Democrats hands.
If the President does not secure the border wall funding from Congress — then those countries that humiliated Trump could well see their foreign aid in 2019 slashed from their 2017 levels.
Trump is determined to protect America against illegal immigration — and no one will be allowed to stand in his way of making America great again.
Author’s note:The cartoon — commissioned exclusively for this article — is by Yaakov Kirschen aka “Dry Bones” — one of Israel’s foremost political and social commentators — whose cartoons have graced the columns of Israeli and international media publications for decades. His cartoons can be viewed atDrybonesblog
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