The Effect of US Military Foreign Aid

Introduction 

The US is among the most influential players on the global geopolitical space. For decades, this country has implemented programs through which it intervenes in global affairs. It has spearheaded efforts to promote democratic governance and human rights across the globe. While diplomacy remains the nation’s preferred approach, there have been instances where the country has resorted to the use of military force. These instances offer an opportunity to examine the impact that American foreign military intervention has had. Iraq is one of the countries that have witnessed US military intervention. Driven by fears that the Saddam government was developing weapons of mass destruction, the US launched a military campaign that led to the overthrow of the Saddam administration. There are numerous other examples of cases where the US has deployed its military in the Middle East to serve various purposes. Today, the US has a military presence in such countries as Afghanistan where it is helping weak governments to stave off terrorist groups and to protect the gains that have been made. The outcomes of US military aid have been mixed. In some cases, it has led to the restoration of democracy and protection of human rights. On the other hand, consequences have been disastrous as evidenced by the situation in such countries as Afghanistan that lie in ruins and are overrun by terrorist groups. It is critical to examine the effect of American military intervention so as to inform American foreign policy. The focus of this paper is the effects that American use of military force and aid has had. To achieve its objective, the paper examines various instances where the US has intervened militarily. The paper employs the literature review method to establish and support the claims presented.

Literature Review 

In this section, a review of literature that addresses the impact of US military aid is issued. The paper employs the narrative review variety of literature review. This type has been selected because it allows for collection of data and insights from literature that has already been published. It is expected that the narrative review will inform the research project.

The question of how US military intervention has affected countries and the globe at large has been explored extensively in literature. Kim (2017) is among the scholars whose works focus on this question. In his text, he gives special attention to the military aid that the US extended to South Korea. According to Kim, this aid enhanced the economic growth as well as the political stability of South Korea. Kim reports that the South Korean government reallocated funds that had initially been set aside for military programs to economic development. Essentially, Kim suggests that in addition to boosting South Korea’s military defense, the US aid also helped to buttress the country’s economy. There are some scholars who raise questions about whether the US military aid delivers the intended outcomes. When it offers military assistance, the US is usually inspired by the need to safeguard human rights. As Choi and James (2017) lament, this goal is not always met. They note that the effect of the military aid on human rights is usually either neutral or negative. This means that instead of safeguarding vulnerable populations against abuses, the military aid that the US offers exposes these populations to the threat of repression and further abuse. Choi and James are not alone in finding that US military foreign aid is not necessarily effective. Regilme (2017) is another scholar whose assessment of the US foreign military aid concludes that it is highly ineffective. In his paper, he offers the example of the Thai government which received military support from the Bush administration. According to Regilme, this support emboldened the Thai authorities and inspired them to embark on a campaign of human rights abuses and repression. Sandholtz (2016) is another scholar who examined the impact of US foreign military aid. After examining the situation in over 100 countries, Sandholtz found that in most cases, US foreign aid encouraged human abuses and can therefore be regarded as harmful and highly ineffective.

For a full understanding of the effect of US foreign military aid to be gained, it is critical to examine how this aid influences peace and political stability. Blanken and Sullivan (n.d) are among the scholars who have explored this issue. They note that US military aid has enabled the governments of countries that are terrorized by criminal groups to pursue these groups effectively. Eventually, these nations accomplished some level of political stability. Blanken and Sullivan basically present US military aid as an effective tool to tackle criminal groups and terrorist organizations. Their findings are echoed by Jadoon (2018). The focus of his text is the impact that US military aid has on the protection of civilians. According to Jadoon, thanks to the support that they receive from the US government, nations are able to achieve greater precision in their pursuit of criminal networks. The implication is that harm suffered by civilians is minimized. Recent developments can be used to contest the claims that Jadoon makes. US has joined forces with such partners as Saudi Arabia to launch a military campaign in Yemen. As Beaumont (2018) reports, thousands of Yemeni civilians have lost their lives. Much of the country’s infrastructure has been damaged and thousands are grappling with starvation and the nation has witnessed several outbreaks of cholera. The case of Yemen shows that unless it exercises caution and prioritizes the protection of civilians, the US cannot expect success when it offers military support to other nations.

Does the level of democratization have any effect on the impact of US military aid in particular countries? This is one of the questions that scholars have attempted to answer. It appears that when the US provides military assistance to nations with weak political and democratic institutions, the effects are nearly always adverse. Dube and Naidu (2015) collaborated to conduct a study on the impact of military aid that the US issued to Colombia, a nation that has grappled with armed insurgency and weak democratic institutions. According to this duo, the aid led to an increase in the strength and boldness of armed groups operating in the country. Dube and Naidu conclude that the US military aid undermined Colombia’s political institutions. From this conclusion, it can be argued that when military aid is offered to unstable and undemocratic nations, little progress is made in the quest for domestic governance. Savage and Caverley (2017) confirm that US military aid undermines democracy in nations which lack strong political institutions. In their article, they detail the results of a study whose goal was to determine how the military support that the US lends affects political stability. They observed that this support tends to increase the likelihood of coups as it emboldens a country’s military to challenge the elected civilian government. It is clear that the political conditions in a country affect the impact of US military assistance. In general, unstable and volatile nations face a greater risk of further instability and grave human rights abuses when the US intervenes by offering military aid.

From the discussion this far, it is evident that the effects of American military aid are mixed. On the one hand, it can help nations to crack down on armed and illegal terrorist networks. On the other hand, the military assistance can lead to the death of thousands of civilians and gross human rights violations. It is important to understand why most of the effects of the military assistance are negative. Omechileva, Carter and Campbell (2017) attempted to offer an explanation for the ill effects of the military assistance. In their article, they blame corruption and the misappropriation of funds for the negative effects of the assistance. The leaders of the country to which the US lends assistance fail to demonstrate accountability and divert some of the assistance to projects for which the assistance was not designed. If the US is to be successful in its effort to promote political stability, human rights and democracy, it needs to ensure that its partners recognize the importance of accountability and share America’s values. 

Theory and Hypothesis 

As noted earlier, the purpose of this project is to establish the impact of US foreign military assistance on human rights, democracy and the wellbeing of civilians. When they conduct studies, it is standard practice for researchers to base their work on some theoretical framework. This practice will be adopted for this research project. The political economy theory is the main theoretical framework that will be employed. Essentially, this theory posits that such issues as trade in a particular country are dependent on factors like the laws and customs of the country (Cardinale & Scazzieri, 2018). Furthermore, this theory attempts to establish an association between trade and the governance structure that a country has put in place. Basically, according to this theory, it is nearly impossible to fully understand the position of a country on the geopolitical space without considering such dynamics as the law and political customs.

Above, it has been pointed out that this research project will use the political economy theory as part of its efforts to establish the nature of the relationship between US military aid and human rights, democracy and the welfare of civilians. It is theorized that how a nation responds to the aid is determined by the status of political structures, respect for the rule of law and the level of accountability that the country’s leaders demonstrate. To understand how the political economy theory accounts for the relationship between the US foreign military assistance, democracy, human rights and civilian experiences, it is helpful to consider an example. In an earlier section, Colombia was identified as one of the countries that have experienced worse outcomes as a result of US military intervention and aid. It was also noted that Colombia has struggled with armed groups that have terrorized residents. One can argue that the US military assistance failed because it did not account for the political and security challenges that Colombia was grappling with. Furthermore, as Omechileva, Carter and Campbell (2017) observed, US military assistance has failed to deliver the desired outcomes because of such issues as corruption and lack of accountability among leaders in the target countries. The corruption in these countries suggest that there is little respect for the rule of law and this sets the stage for human rights abuses, the targeting of civilians in murderous campaigns and the undermining of political and democratic institutions. The political economy theory is clearly a highly reliable and useful model for predicting how US military assistance will affect the political and human rights dynamics of particular nations. If the US is to be successful in protecting communities, promoting human rights and securing democratic gains, it needs to consider such issues as the stability of law enforcement institutions and the level of political freedom in the country. 

There are various scholars who have explored the role that the political economy theory plays in highlighting how the military assistance from the US affects civilians, democratic institutions and human rights. Werker (2011) is among these scholars. The focus of an article that he authored is the failure of US military assistance to Uzbekistan. Using the political economy theory, Werker argues that the US assistance did not lead to improvements in the situation in Uzbekistan because the US failed to account for the political situation in the country. In particular, Werker accuses the US of failing to consider the views of the Uzbekistan citizens regarding its intervention. As a result, these citizens responded with anger and the US was forced to pull out of Uzbekistan. Milner and Tingley (2010) are other scholars who set out to determine the implications that the political economy theory presents for the nations to which it has supplied military aid. While they make no mention of such issues as democracy or human rights, these scholars make it clear that the success of American intervention hinges on considerations for the political and economic realities in a particular country. There is no doubt that the political economy theory offers a fairly accurate account of the impacts of US military aid and its general intervention in the political and economic affairs of different nations. 

For a deeper understanding of the political economy theory to be gained, it is important to show how it relates to this research project. As already noted, the political economy theory attempts to link the success of an intervention to the political and economic situations in a given country. For example, this theory allows one to predict how the impact of US foreign aid differs between economically strong, law-respecting countries with good records of human rights guarantees and political freedom, and those which are lawless, over-run by criminal and terrorist groups and have received condemnation for their failure to protect vulnerable populations. Using the political economy theory, it can be said that aid delivers better outcomes when the recipient has strong democratic institutions, protects its citizens and has taken steps to prevent human rights abuses. In essence, this theory makes it clear that political stability, democratic governance and freedom are necessary realities that facilitate the success of interventions. 

As is the case with most other studies, this research project will be guided by a hypothesis. This hypothesis is a reflection of personal convictions and an evaluation of literature regarding the relationship between US military aid and the political and socioeconomic developments that different countries experience. The hypothesis that the project will seek to establish is given below: 

H0: A country that receives vast amounts of US military foreign aid has an acceptable record of human rights protection, strong democratic institutions and citizens whose wellbeing is guaranteed. 

Vs 

H1: A country that receives vast amounts of US military foreign aid has an appalling record of human rights protection, weak democratic institutions and citizens whose wellbeing is threatened. 

The hypotheses outlined above capture the essence of the research project. By rejecting or confirming these hypotheses, the research will shed light on the influences of American military assistance. 

Research Design 

Above, the political economy theory has been identified as the model that will be employed in determining the association between US military aid and democracy, human rights and the experiences of civilians. The stage is now set for a description of the design of the research project. Details of this design are given in the following section:

Unit of Analysis 

The scope of the research project is indeed broad. For this reason, the unit of analysis that is adopted should be equally broad. It is determined that nations will serve as the unit of analysis. As has been made clear repeatedly, the purpose of the study is to explore the changes that nations have experienced after accepting US military aid. This project involves the interactions among nations. For example, Colombia and South Korea are among the nations that have received US foreign military aid. They serve as ideal units of analysis because they allow one to understand the general effects of American military intervention. It is worth noting that the study will also treat civilian populations and institutions as units of analysis. Using the civilian populations will shed light on the real impacts of US intervention on ordinary citizens. Furthermore, civilian populations will help to highlight the human elements of the influences of US military assistance. Institutions such as agencies responsible for conducting elections and the militaries of countries that have benefited from American military aid will also be used as units of analysis as part of efforts to gain a comprehensive and clear understanding of the broader consequences of US military support and overall involvement in the domestic affairs of other nations. The project will cover US military assistance given to ten countries that are the largest recipients in 2017 and the democracy, human rights and civilian experiences situations in these countries during this year (2017).

Operationalizing Variables 

In the section below, a description of how the dependent and independent variables will be operationalized is offered.

US Military Foreign Aid (independent variable) 

The importance of operationalization of variables lies in the fact that it helps to clarify these variables. For the purpose of this project, US military foreign aid encompasses the funding that the US issues to nations for the purchase of military equipment and the training of military personnel. Furthermore, this aid also includes the deployment of US troops in foreign countries. Basically, US military foreign aid includes all forms of assistance that enables a nation to perform such functions as eliminate terrorist groups, tackle crime and improve border security. However, for the purpose of this project, military assistance will be regarded in terms of the amounts that the US supplied to different countries for military defense and security functions.

Democracy (Dependent variable) 

Democracy is a complex term that can be assigned a wide range of interpretations and meanings. In this project, democracy is regarded as the practices, policies and behaviors that allow for the will of the people to prevail. It includes free elections and the independence of such institutions as the courts and electoral commissions. An active civil society is also a critical component of democracy. A nation which holds free and fair elections and whose courts and electoral commissions function without undue interference is considered a democracy. On the other hand, if a nation is ruled by unelected officials such as military leaders and its judiciary has been stripped of autonomy, this nation is undemocratic. Press freedom is another aspect of democracy that will be considered when assessing the levels of democratic governance in different countries. To be regarded as truly democratic, nations must permit the press to conduct its affairs without intimidation or fear.

Civilian Experiences (Dependent variable) 

The experiences of civilians are another dependent variable that will be used to evaluate the effectiveness of US military aid. Essentially, these experiences refer to such issues as civilian deaths, injuries and detentions. If it is revealed that US military assistance has led to needless civilian death and injuries and has emboldened the government to detain civilians, there will be a basis to conclude that the US has failed in its military intervention.

Human Rights (Dependent variable) 

How a government treats it citizens is the essence of human rights. Whether civilians are allowed to participate in free and fair elections, whether dissent and opposition is permitted and whether the state protects the lives and freedoms of assembly, religion and political persuasion of all citizens are the main lenses through which the project will view the issue of human rights.

Data Used 

As regards the use of data, this study will follow the example set by other scholars. Published literature will serve as the main source of data. Books and journal articles will be consulted for insights on the various themes that the project explores. For example, the study will involve an examination of articles authored by scholars who feel that US military aid has led to a worsening of human rights violations and continues to undermine democracy. In addition to the literature review, the data collection process will also involve specific techniques for each of the different variables. These techniques are discussed below:

US Military Foreign Aid 

USAID will serve as the primary source for data on American foreign military aid. This organization compiles data on the amount of aid that the US issues to various countries and this fact makes the USAID an ideal source. On its website, the USAID has an interactive tool that allows one to determine the amount of aid that different countries receive. Since it would be remarkably difficult to analyze all the countries, special focus will be given to the top 10 recipients of aid in 2017. These countries are Afghanistan, Israel, Jordan, Iraq, Egypt, South Africa, Mozambique, Ethiopia and Pakistan (“Foreign Aid Explore”, n.d). As noted earlier, the amount of foreign military assistance will serve as the independent variable.

Democracy, Human Rights and Civilian Experiences 

Data for democracy and human rights will be obtained from the Cato Institute. This organization released a report in which it provides information on the levels of political and economic freedom in different countries across the globe. The indices that the Cato Institute uses combines such factors as the rule of law, security and safety, movement, religious freedom, civil society, freedom of assembly and association, freedom of expression and access to information, identity and relationships, the size of a country’s government, the legal system, and regulation among others (“Country Profiles”, 2018). These factors reflect the human rights and democracy variables. For example, the rule of law and the various freedoms that a nation grants its citizens offers an indication of the nation’s human rights record. The human development index developed by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) will be used to assess civilian experiences in the 10 countries listed earlier which receive the greatest amount of military assistance from the US. To determine the index, the UNDP considers such factors as life expectancy and the number of years that individuals spend in school. These factors show that the human development index is a reliable indicator of civilian experiences. For data on democracy, the report by the Economic Intelligence Unit will be consulted. This report lists different countries based on their level of democratic freedom and governance. How well a country’s government operates and the level of political participation that citizens are allowed are among the factors that were considered in compiling the report (Burrows, 2019).

Hypothesis Testing Method 

Above, a description of how data for the different variables will be collected has been provided. Focus can now shift to an exploration of the method that will be employed in testing the hypothesis. As already noted, the null hypothesis links US military assistance to high levels of democratic governance, positive civilian outcomes and protection of human rights. On the other hand, the alternative hypothesis blames foreign military assistance for the appalling conditions endured by civilians, the impunity with which human rights are violated and the strengthening of dictatorships. To test these hypotheses, a simple method will be used. This method will involve an examination of the situation in the 10 countries identified earlier. The countries will be assessed on the levels of democratic rule, human rights and civilian experiences using the data sources described above. It is expected that this method will reveal trends and allow for a full understanding of the impact of US foreign military assistance to be acquired.

Conclusion 

This paper has addressed a wide range of issues. It lays out the process that will be followed when conducting the study on the impacts of US military aid to its international partners. The paper has shed light on the views of various scholars on the implications of US military aid for human rights, democracy and civilian wellbeing. As the paper has revealed, scholars are divided on the general effect of American intervention through military aid. On the one hand, there are scholars who feel that US aid has bolstered democracy while creating conditions that allow for human rights to be guaranteed. These scholars also feel that US military aid has protected civilians against such adverse outcomes as death or injury. On the other hand, there are those who raise questions about the effectiveness of US military aid. These scholars cite various examples of nations that have been devastated after the US became involved.

The lack of consensus regarding whether US military aid has positive or adverse effects underscores the significance of this paper. As has already been stated, the purpose of the paper is to establish conclusively and clearly the changes that US military aid introduces. Another significance of the paper is that it will establish the political economy theory as a valid model for understanding the dynamics of the international geopolitical stage. It is expected that it will be determined that overall, US military aid threatens democracy, exposes civilians to various risks and facilitates the perpetration of human rights abuses. A thorough review of relevant literature will be used to substantiate the claims presented in the paper.

References

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Burrows, I. (2019). Chart of the day: Europe dominates top of democracy index, North Korea lags in last. ABC News. Retrieved April 8, 2019 from https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-01-10/democracy-index-economist-intelligence-unit-2018/10703184 

Cardinale, I., & Scazzieri, R. (2018). The Palgrave handbook of political economy . New York: Springer.

Choi, S., & James, P. (2017). Are US Foreign Policy Tools Effective in Improving Human Rights Conditions?  The Chinese Journal of International Politics,10 (3), 331-356. doi:10.1093/cjip/pox010 

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Dube, O., & Naidu, S. (2015). Bases, bullets, and ballots: the effect of US military aid on political conflict in Colombia. The Journal of Politics, 77 (1), 249-267. 

Foreign aid explorer. (n.d). USAID. Retrieved April 8, 2019 from https://explorer.usaid.gov/ 

Jadoon, A. (2017). Persuasion and Predation: The Effects of U.S. Military Aid and International Development Aid on Civilian Killings.  Studies in Conflict & Terrorism,41 (10), 776-800. doi:10.1080/1057610x.2017.1353355 

Kim, P. (2017). Guns over rice: The impact of US military aid on South Korean economic reconstruction. International Development and Cooperation Review, 9(1), 34-49. 

Milner, H. V., & Tingley, D. H. (2010). The political economy of U.S. foreign aid: American legislators and the domestic politics of aid. Economics & Politics, 22 (2), 200-32. 

Omelicheva, M., Carter, B., & Campbell, L. B. (2017). Military Aid and Human Rights: Assessing the Impact of U.S. Security Assistance Programs.  Political Science Quarterly,132 (1), 119-144. doi:10.1002/polq.12575 

Regilme, S. S. F. (2017). Does US foreign aid undermine human rights? The “Thaksinification” of the war on terror discourses and the human rights crisis in Thailand, 2001 to 2006. Human Rights Review, 19, 73-95.

Sandholtz, W. (2016). United States military assistance and human rights. Human Rights Quarterly, 38 (4), 1070-1101.

Savage, J. D., & Caverley, J. D. (2017). When human capital threatens the Capitol: Foreign aid in the form of military training and coups. Journal of Peace Research, 54 (4), 542-557.

Werker, E. (2011). The political economy of bilateral foreign aid. Harvard Business School. Retrieved March 27, 2019 from https://www.hhs.se/contentassets/37c1fc1af913455ab24889d85758e479/werker_peofaid.pdf