Jan 29th, 2010 1:50 PM UTC
By Charles W. Larson Jr.
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As the President pointed out in his State of the Union address this week, America’s destiny is linked to that of other countries. Our national security has three fundamental components: defense, diplomacy, and development. Having worked in all three areas, I know that this is the right strategy to improve our security.
While serving in Iraq, our command initiated “Operation Iraqi Hope” which collected over $100,000 in school and medical supplies. We distributed these supplies to help the Iraqis and to demonstrate that we were there to help them. As a result, we built relationships of trust with the Iraqis and we witnessed an improvement of our security.
The development projects that we pursue as a nation in Africa have the same impact. We cannot afford to allow additional fragile countries to become failed countries and threaten our security. Somalia is a perfect example of a failed state that now threatens our security. Not only is Somalia home to the modern day pirates that target nearby shipping lanes, but Somalia has also allowed Al Qaeda to establish training camps.
It is vital that we not cut the portion of the federal budget devoted to development assistance (about 0.5% of the total). Because the amount is so relatively small, slashing that account would have virtually no impact on the budget. However, that same amount invested in sound development assistance pays long term dividends for America’s national security.
-LTC Charles Larson
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Nov 11th, 2009 6:29 PM UTC
By Charles W. Larson Jr.
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In 2004 I was deployed to Iraq with the 372nd Engineer Group as the command’s senior attorney. In addition to my legal responsibilities, I also spearheaded our command’s humanitarian and development missions.
Some of our missions included collecting and distributing over $100,000 in school and medical supplies to the Iraqis, building 12 new schools and three water filtration sanitation systems that provided clean water, for the first time, to the community. Having access to clean water was particularly significant because at the time, Iraq had the second highest infant mortality rate in the world due to drinking unsafe water from the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers.
I will never forget the look of joy on the faces of the Iraqi people as we cut the ribbon for a new medical clinic. Before the doors were even open, the walls of the clinic were lined with new mothers and expecting mothers needing medical care. These development missions created an extremely strong bond with the Iraqis that we built upon and, as a result, it improved my unit’s security.
If we allow fragile states to become failed states, extremist views have an opportunity to take root. Without doubt, the work we did in Iraq and the work the U.S. is doing in Africa, not only improves the lives of millions of people, but also improves our country’s national security.
-Charles W. Larson, Jr.
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