Mike Ritland

Because DoD has national security interests in the region, state has national interest or economic interest in the region. They need assets to play with, assets to liaise with, assets to build up, and development creates those assets. Paying to create these institutions, paying to co-op these institutions. So these things all go together, these three Ds, defense, diplomacy, development.

Because DoD has national security interests in the region, state has national interest or economic interest in the region. They need assets to play with, assets to liaise with, assets to build up, and development creates those assets. Paying to create these institutions, paying to co-op these institutions. So these things all go together, these three Ds, defense, diplomacy, development.

This is 2014. This is over a decade ago. And in that U.S. Army War College memo, there's quotes from U.S. generals that say that they prefer working with USAID over state, even though USAID is... Independent, but it's always supposed to be guided by state. Because even our humanitarian assistance has to serve U.S. interests. And state represents those stated interests.

This is 2014. This is over a decade ago. And in that U.S. Army War College memo, there's quotes from U.S. generals that say that they prefer working with USAID over state, even though USAID is... Independent, but it's always supposed to be guided by state. Because even our humanitarian assistance has to serve U.S. interests. And state represents those stated interests.

This is 2014. This is over a decade ago. And in that U.S. Army War College memo, there's quotes from U.S. generals that say that they prefer working with USAID over state, even though USAID is... Independent, but it's always supposed to be guided by state. Because even our humanitarian assistance has to serve U.S. interests. And state represents those stated interests.

But you have DOD people, over a decade ago, saying they prefer to work with USAID over state for several reasons. That USAID is not bogged down by bureaucratic red tape of the, quote, interagency knife fight that happens at the National Security Council. But that USAID, quote, actually does stuff, whereas, you know, state is hamstrung by what they can actually do.

But you have DOD people, over a decade ago, saying they prefer to work with USAID over state for several reasons. That USAID is not bogged down by bureaucratic red tape of the, quote, interagency knife fight that happens at the National Security Council. But that USAID, quote, actually does stuff, whereas, you know, state is hamstrung by what they can actually do.

But you have DOD people, over a decade ago, saying they prefer to work with USAID over state for several reasons. That USAID is not bogged down by bureaucratic red tape of the, quote, interagency knife fight that happens at the National Security Council. But that USAID, quote, actually does stuff, whereas, you know, state is hamstrung by what they can actually do.

It's a diplomatic incident if the formal diplomatic arm of the U.S. State Department does something versus an independent aid agency that is there on a humanitarian purpose and, oh, they were using it for this wrong purpose. Because there's much more oversight on state. State runs the interagency gauntlet every day of its existence.

It's a diplomatic incident if the formal diplomatic arm of the U.S. State Department does something versus an independent aid agency that is there on a humanitarian purpose and, oh, they were using it for this wrong purpose. Because there's much more oversight on state. State runs the interagency gauntlet every day of its existence.

It's a diplomatic incident if the formal diplomatic arm of the U.S. State Department does something versus an independent aid agency that is there on a humanitarian purpose and, oh, they were using it for this wrong purpose. Because there's much more oversight on state. State runs the interagency gauntlet every day of its existence.

It has to persuade the White House National Security Council and all the interagency partners to do something. But really the only oversight there is at USAID is what's happened is at the Office of Inspector General level. You have their own in-house accountability mechanism. And there's some great examples of how this has gone so haywire. I don't mean to... Keep going. Okay.

It has to persuade the White House National Security Council and all the interagency partners to do something. But really the only oversight there is at USAID is what's happened is at the Office of Inspector General level. You have their own in-house accountability mechanism. And there's some great examples of how this has gone so haywire. I don't mean to... Keep going. Okay.

It has to persuade the White House National Security Council and all the interagency partners to do something. But really the only oversight there is at USAID is what's happened is at the Office of Inspector General level. You have their own in-house accountability mechanism. And there's some great examples of how this has gone so haywire. I don't mean to... Keep going. Okay.

There was a massive scandal for USAID, and everyone can look this up. It was the Zunzaneo scandal. And let me make clear out the gate that I do not like and I'm not a fan of the Cuban government. I don't believe in socialism. I don't believe in communism. I'm not saying what I'm about to say because I believe that the Cuban government should remain or whatnot.

There was a massive scandal for USAID, and everyone can look this up. It was the Zunzaneo scandal. And let me make clear out the gate that I do not like and I'm not a fan of the Cuban government. I don't believe in socialism. I don't believe in communism. I'm not saying what I'm about to say because I believe that the Cuban government should remain or whatnot.

There was a massive scandal for USAID, and everyone can look this up. It was the Zunzaneo scandal. And let me make clear out the gate that I do not like and I'm not a fan of the Cuban government. I don't believe in socialism. I don't believe in communism. I'm not saying what I'm about to say because I believe that the Cuban government should remain or whatnot.

I leave aside the moral question about whether or not this was the right or wrong thing to do. But here is what was done. In 2014, a very massive scandal popped off that I think few people today remember. This was during the Biden White House where USAID took humanitarian funds that were earmarked for Pakistan.

I leave aside the moral question about whether or not this was the right or wrong thing to do. But here is what was done. In 2014, a very massive scandal popped off that I think few people today remember. This was during the Biden White House where USAID took humanitarian funds that were earmarked for Pakistan.

I leave aside the moral question about whether or not this was the right or wrong thing to do. But here is what was done. In 2014, a very massive scandal popped off that I think few people today remember. This was during the Biden White House where USAID took humanitarian funds that were earmarked for Pakistan.