Novice Tournament R2: Military aid ought to be prioritized over development assistance in Africa.

ClarificationBefore beginning my rebuttal, allow me to clarify my position in this debate. I agree with my opponent that there is an abject humanitarian crisis occurring in the Sahel region. I agree with my opponent's statistics, which detail the nature of the crisis. However, simply providing statistics and anecdotes that detail the malnutrition crisis does not negate the resolve. My opponent must not only show that the crisis is bad, but also prove that development assistance is the correct response to the crisis. In this rebuttal, I will add to my Round 2 Constructive and show that, while development assistance may seem good on paper, it is a deeply flawed and erroneous response to a systematic problem that inevitably requires a military solution.RebuttalsDevelopment assistance is ineffectiveAs I showed in my Round 2 argument, development assistance is a faulty response to the humanitarian crisis in the Sahel for two reasons. First of all, development assistance ignores the basic logic of the situation - Sahelian municipalities are controlled by corrupt governments. Money pooled into local infrastructure, nutrition, and education projects is at the control and dictation of politicians and special interests who seek only to further their own self-interest, and who are infamous for sapping money from national treasuries and development projects. It is utterly ignorant to give development funds to these politicians and expect positive results. Secondly, the Sahel is a completely unstable region, at the mercy of radical jihadists and exploitative military groups. These groups have, historically, undermined any attempts at positive development through violence and terrorism. Until world leaders can multilaterally assist in military operations throughout Africa, terrorism will persist and Sahelian life will never be improved.Countries like the United States and the UK have made it a top priority to end malnutrition and disease in the Sahel, aiming to achieve UN "millennium goals." Between 1960 and 1997, more than $500 billion in development assistance was pumped into the Sahel region of Africa. Per capita GDP of Africans living south of the Sahara declined at an average annual rate of 0.59 percent between 1975 and 2000. Over that period, per capita GDP adjusted for purchasing power parity declined from $1,770 in 1995 international dollars to $1,479. The evidence that development assistance is hijacked by terrorism and feeds corrupt state bureaucracies is tremendously clear.Military aid solves the fundamental problems The best way to create long term prosperity for the Sahelian people is by ensuring security, safety, and stability. Development assistance ensures none of those things. But military aid, according to ISIS Europe, is the correct solution. "Three key steps must be taken toward improving the region's security: creating efficient and capable militaries; regulating the employment of mercenaries; and implementing border controls. It must also be ensured that the planned training on human rights is made a priority and that the importance of civilian control over the army is emphasized. These initiatives are vital in creating peace in the region and fixing the 'fundamental problem' of instability." Once the Sahel region is safe from a rampant drug market, radical jihadism, and corrupt dictatorships, businesses will be more inclined to invest and hire, and more public funds will remain in treasuries, as opposed to the pockets of corrupt politicians. Then, and only then, is it rational to begin long term investments in development.The crisis in the Sahel, to use the words of former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, has made military engagement in Africa a “strategic necessity.” [3]. The resolve is affirmed. Sources[1]http://www.cato.org...[2]ISIS Europe, “Security in the Sahel: Regional Initiatives in Pursuit of Long-Term Stability,” 2013[3]Kurt Shillinger, former research fellow, South African Institute of International Affairs, “5 Reasons Why Africa Is Not Ready to Meet Its Own Security Needs—Yet,” CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR, 1—31—13,