Funding Scarce for Export of Democracy
by Peter Baker
Washington Post; March 17, 2005

U.S. funding for democratic programs in Eastern Europe has been slashed by 38% in Eastern Europe and 46% in the former Soviet Union as a result of shifting priorities in the post-Sept.11th era. According to Peter Baker, the shrinking financial commitment to Ukrainian democracy, for example, highlights a broad gap between rhetoric and resources among budget writers in the Bush administration and on Capitol Hill as the president vows to devote his second term to “ending tyranny in our world”. The administration is designating substantially more funding towards democracy in Muslim countries, while other countries in the world, also in dire need of democratic assistance are being neglected. Baker further asserts that a group, which will lose out is the Asia Foundation, which works to reform legal codes, foster civil society and promote women’s rights in places such as Indonesia, where it is credited with helping the transition from decades of dictatorship.