Monday, January 21, 2013

Bolton: Congress Should 'Zero Out' Money for UN Development Program

Read this in full @ Newsmax.com http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/development-un-bolton-program/2013/01/16/id/471729#ixzz2IcrotYb0

Former U.N. Ambassador John Bolton is calling for the United States to end funding for the anti-poverty U.N. Development Program, which he described as nothing more than a "wealth transfer operation" used to prop up governments.
 
"At a time when our budget is constrained, it seems this is the time to say, 'Maybe we've got other uses for the money,'" Bolton said Tuesday night on Fox News' "On the Record with Greta Van Susteren."
 
Bolton's comments followed the release of a preliminary report from the development program itself acknowledging that after spending more than $8.5 billion between 2004 and 2011, it has no evidence that its anti-poverty activities have accomplished anything.
 
Bolton said the admission should not come as a surprise to anyone familiar with most U.N operations.
 
"This is the United Nations at work," he said. "Part of the problem with a lot of U.N. programs is you can measure the input, billions spent. You can't measure the output. I think this report, this is just the executive summary we have. When the whole thing comes out it will be interesting to read because it's an admission that they don't really know what effect their activities have."
 
Bolton added, "My recommendation . . . would be that Congress zero out the U.S. contribution."
 
The U.S. contribution to the program, which is voluntary, amounts to "a couple hundred million dollars a year," according to Bolton. But he noted that the U.S. funds an estimated one-fourth of the U.N.'s $8 billion budget.  

Read Latest Breaking News from Newsmax.com http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/development-un-bolton-program/2013/01/16/id/471729#ixzz2IcrotYb0

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