"When It's Too Dirty For The CIA..." Benz On USAID's Litany Of Corruption

A live debate on foreign aid was held, featuring Keith Knight, Mike Benz, and Cenk Uygur, representing abolitionist, reformist, and proponent views, respectively. Unfortunately, the debate was interrupted by a glitch with the streaming software, causing a repetitive phrase to play. Mike Benz argued that USAID is often involved in covert operations masked as health aid, citing examples such as forced sterilizations and fake vaccine programs. He claimed that USAID's true purpose is to serve as a cover arm of U.S. foreign policy, with programs secretly achieving State Department goals. Benz also highlighted the lack of oversight and accountability within USAID, warning that it can bypass congressional checks. He proposed reforming USAID to address its rogue activities, which have led to its expulsion from eight countries. Cenk Uygur defended USAID's HIV programs, citing the 25 million lives saved, but Benz countered that there is more "bathwater" than "baby" in these efforts. Keith Knight, representing the abolitionist perspective, argued that foreign aid should be eliminated altogether, but his remarks were not detailed in the article. The full debate is available online for those who want to hear more from each participant. Overall, the debate highlighted concerns about USAID's activities and the need for greater scrutiny and accountability.