FY2005 US Foreign Aid recipients

The foreign aid bill for 2005 has been approved and once again, Israel is the top recipient followed by Egypt at number 2.
The majority of the money for those two countries will be for military financing.

The total bill was $19.4 billion dollars.
Here's a breakdown of where the foreign aid money will be going:

Israel: $2.56 billion
(Foreign Military Financing $2.2 billion, Economic Support Fund $360 million)

Egypt: $1.835 billion
(Foreign Military Financing $1.3 billion, Economic Support Fund $535 million)

Afghanistan: $1.377 billion
(humanitarian, reconstruction, and related assistance $977 million and $400 million to train and equip the new Afghan National Army)

Pakistan: $150 million foreign Military Financing, $200 million in Economic Support Funds

Sudan: $311 million Economic Support Funds
Jordan: $250 million ESF
Pakistan: $200 million ESF
Haiti: $ 50 million ESF
Lebanon: $ 35 million ESF
Timor-Leste $ 22 million ESF
Cyprus: $ 13.5 million ESF

There's a more complete list here: Foreign Aid Watch

There is also 1.26 billion going towards fighting Aids and 1.25 billion for the Millennium Challenge Corporation MCA.gov

I find it strange that a country like Israel gets billions of dollars in Aid, while a country like Haiti gets only $50 million. Haiti needs money.

There are many countries needing help, see th UN's Human Develpment Report (hdr.undp.org) and you can see the difference between the rich countries and the poor countries.

Why the U.S. gives money to some countries, I'll never understand.

Giving any money at all to countries like Sudan and Haiti are a complete waste. Sudan and Haiti are basically corrupt killing areas that are little more than hell-holes. Everyone knows that all the money will end up falling into the hands of Arab Muslim jihadists and slave traders who kill black Christians (in Sudan) and drug lords who kill police and civilians who get in their way by endorsement of corrupt politicians who they pay off (in Haiti).

If a country has no system in place -- that actually works -- to protect the rights of its citizens, and the safety of innocent civilians, then any money, food, etc. given to that country is just going to go to waste, if not make things even worse...

Countries like Israel, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Colombia I can understand the U.S. giving money to, however...

This list of course doesn't count the money that the US gives via the UN.

Originally posted by ThunderCloud
Why the U.S. gives money to some countries, I'll never understand

To understand, you have to realize it�s not about help or humanitarian work. It�s about politics and gaining influence and power over certain sectors of the country's economy.

Much of the money is spent militarily or for the foreign government to hand out in the form of corporate subsidies to large multinationals (mostly American companies) doing business there.

I hope people here don�t think that such large sums of money are given away out of the goodness of someone�s heart? Without expecting something in return?

Oh and by the way American Mad Man. The US is notorious for not paying its share of UN dues or participating financially in UN programs. The US has a �go it alone� approach here too. Remember when Ted Turner stepped up to the plate a couple of years ago to pay the outstanding US debt to the UN?

Originally posted by American Mad Man
This list of course doesn't count the money that the US gives via the UN.

That $19.4 billion does include donations to some UN programs that I believe are voluntary.

From the foreign aid link I posted:

Immigration and Refugee Assistance (UNHCR IFRC) $756 million
United Nations Environment Program $323 million
International Fund for Agricultural Development $15 million

This site, state.gov shows annual US contributions to the UN, including voluntary programs, are around $3 billion.
In 2002, the United States funded 22 percent of the UN regular budget, as well as more than 27 percent of the peacekeeping budget.