Obama's faith council critical of DOD development work

By William Wan

Among the dozens of recommendations by Obama's faith council were these two fascinating ones dealing with Department of Defense and USAID.

In one recommendation, the council's global poverty task force questions the wisdom of having development work done by the defense department. Since 1998, the DOD's share of the government's development money increased from 3.5 to 22 percent, the faith council's new report points out. "Yet the Department of Defense does not appear to have a methodology for measuring the effectiveness of its development and humanitarian activities," it reads.

Government agency USAID is better suited for such work, council members said, pointing out that development work by the military "that are typically implemented for security purposes tend to be unsustainable because they address the symptoms of poverty, as opposed to its underlying causes." There is also little community buy-in and such work by the military can also undercut efforts by private volunteer organizations and faith-based groups trying to make inroads with local groups.

The faith council also recommends that USAID place a faith-based worker in each country where USAID has offices, to help do outreach to local faith groups. The position would report to the chief of mission in each country and would try to create dialogue between faith leaders and joint programs between U.S. government and faith-based groups working in those areas.

By

William Wan

 |  February 22, 2010; 10:39 AM ET  |  Category:  God in Government Save & Share:                 
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