Quotes and Sources

From the June 2005 issue

Quotes

"Syria is the problem. Syria is where those weapons of mass destruction are, in my view. You know, I can fly an F-15, put two nukes on 'em, and I'll make one pass. We won't have to worry about Syria anymore."�

--Rep. Sam Johnson (R-Texas), addressing a veterans' celebration in Allen, Texas, February 19, quoted in Roll Call

"The idea was to create an impression that a mass movement was afoot--that everywhere they looked, in academic institutions, in the business community, in religious groups, in ethnic groups, everywhere, people were talking about reform."�

--Sean Treglia, former program officer of the Few Charitable Trusts, March 12, on how the nonprofit produced the illusion of a grassroots movement for campaign finance reform; quoted in the New York Post, March 17

Sources

Two recent analyses suggest that foreign aid involves self-help as much as good will. A March report from Oxfam and ActionAid, available at oxfam.org.uk/what_we_do/issues/debt_aid/aid_millstone.htm, charges that 70 percent of U.S. aid is spent on U.S. companies, driving up procurement costs. And in May's Journal of Politics, three researchers take a long look at disaster aid and conclude that U.S. decision makers see disasters "as opportunity" for foreign policy. Their paper is available at journalofpolitics.org/Contents/Vol67/arts672/drury.pdf.�