While cutting so-called unnecessary social programs, the United States maintains a defense budget larger than that of all its potential enemies and neutral countries combined. In this small world, we must realize that our neighbor's troubles are our own. Unfortunately, some wealthy countries do not seem to acknowledge this reality. In their dealings with the developing world, they continue to favor their geostrategic interests over the basic needs of the majority of the members of our human family. Developed nations must change the traditional criteria by which they determine aid packages to poorer nations.
Human security is a matter of human dignity.
It is a child who does not die, a disease that did not spread, an ethnic tension that did not explode, a dissident who was not silenced, a human spirit that was not crushed. It is in the interest of wealthy nations to support development efforts in poorer nations. We must all respond to the threat of global poverty that travels across borders in the form of drugs, terrorism and illegal migration. When human security needs are not met, we foster a cycle of violence. When we allow militaries to grow in power in order to control increasingly desperate populations, we have failed to address the root causes of conflict.