Quotes and Sources

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.?