But the struggle of the Cold War, at least in its early decades, appeared to allow little selectivity about who received American support. Later, shifting U.S. political currents, among other causes, eroded assistance to many countries while managing, in the name of national security, to keep the U.S. props under some regimes that did not deserve them. Today, the Agency for International Development continues to serve the goals of American foreign policy, not only in developing countries but in former Soviet bloc countries of east central Europe and in independent states of the former Soviet Union. That's a luxury of choice we didn't have during the Cold War. For another, in addition to what Atwood calls strategic objectives in population and health, economic growth, environment, and transitions to democracy, AID is increasingly engaged with countries in crisis situations.
AID takes three approaches to crisis management.
Third is crisis prevention, which can, of course, be defined as the goal of all of AID's long-term development efforts. They're very fragile. They could implode, become what we call failed states. The study invoked conditions such as high population growth, environmental deterioration, weak governmental institutions, and a lack of economic growth to support its findings. Failed states affect the international community in various critical ways, he continues.