To the editor:

Trump's recent decision to end the DACA policy; his collusion with the Russian government; and the possibility of a nuclear standoff with North Korea all demand that we take a closer look at our international affairs. The average American believes that we devote 25 percent of our federal budget to foreign aid. In reality, that fraction is only 1 percent—and the Trump administration has proposed that we slash funding for the State Department while hiking up military spending. 

We need to protect the International Affairs Budget. By financing disease treatments, food security measures, education, and poverty-reduction efforts, this allocation helps to improve the lives of millions of people who are living on less than 1.25 USD a day. 

That should be reason enough. But providing foreign aid also affords Americans economic and national security benefits. Markets for American investors open up when once-impoverished individuals enter the middle class. Economically stable states tend to be less vulnerable to terrorist networks as well; high-ranking military officials have time and again emphasized the importance of all three tiers of our National Security Strategy: Development, Diplomacy, and Defense. 

Every one of us can help to protect the International Affairs Budget by contacting our congressional representatives. A phone call takes only 30 seconds—simply say, “I would like [Congressperson] to protect funding for the International Affairs Budget.” Emailing Congress might be even easier. The Borgen Project, a Seattle-based nonprofit that is dedicated to reducing poverty around the world, provides easy-to-use templates at borgenproject.org/action-center. 

Save lives. Boost the economy. Advance our national security interests. We must demonstrate our commitment to helping the world’s citizens—at home and abroad.

Sarah Nazarino

West Seattle