And that's just the U.S. contribution. NASA and other advocates argue that the space program is necessary for cutting-edge scientific research. Many of Bell's criticisms are well founded. Aerospace is always expensive. The money spent on ISS can indeed be spent elsewhere.
International cooperation does indeed usually take place within a larger context of rivalry.
Complex designs always present organizational challenges. The risks are indeed great. To my knowledge, these problems have never been discounted by aerospace advocates. Rather, they are seen as challenges to be overcome. Because the consensus has always supported the space program.