USAID has released an an announcement (.pdf file) to declare that we will soon commit to saying something quite definite, in no uncertain terms. Here's the quote everybody is bouncing around the Internet today:

In September 2009, President Obama launched a study of U.S. development policy and will be issuing a new development policy in the near future. The policy will focus on achieving sustainable development outcomes by promoting broad‐based economic growth and democratic governance, investing in game‐changing innovations that have the potential to solve long‐standing development challenges, and building effective public sector capacity to provide basic services over the long term. The policy also puts a premium on selectivity, on leveraging the expertise and resources of others, on mutual accountability, and on evidence of impact. This new development policy will guide the U.S. approach to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

This all sounds warm and fuzzy, which is why it is the money quote (that, plus it's right at the beginning of a 15-page report about a plan to announce a plan). But let's fisk it, shall we? My comments are (in parenthesis).

********

In September 2009, President Obama launched a study

(Yet another commission. How original.)

of U.S. development policy and will be issuing a new development policy in the near future.

(BREAKING NEWS! We will soon be announcing a plan to do . . . something!)

The policy will focus on achieving sustainable development outcomes

(because Government is the answer)

by promoting broad‐based economic growth and democratic governance,

(growth by what means, and democratic like Greece or democratic like USA circa 1779?)

investing in game‐changing innovations that have the potential to solve long‐standing development challenges,

(we will be announcing an attempt to misappropriate taxpayers' take-home wages and throw them at things that sound like really good ideas, but which are as-yet unproven (and may not pan out but hey it's worth a shot!))

and building effective public sector capacity to provide basic services over the long term.

(We're also going to be adding HUGE numbers of people to the public welfare roles, if we can possibly manage to sneak it under the radar)

The policy also puts a premium on selectivity,

(We will be emphasizing sexism and racism, as appropriate)

on leveraging the expertise and resources of others,

(we're going to pay consultants -and hire our cronies for- HUGE salaries!)

on mutual accountability,

(we will tell you everything. We hope you will tell us some things)

and on evidence of impact.

(they probably meant effectiveness vs. impact, but they really mean we want to see if this stuff helps, after we've poured our money down the drain to make it work)

This new development policy will guide the U.S. approach to the Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs).

(It's a guide. We'll be sure to vary from the guide in any way that suits our nepotism, racism, sexism, fancy, and pocketbooks, thank you very much)

********

As an extra bonus, let's remember that the USA pays the lion's share of the UN's bills, and then read (from farther down in the report, which I did skim):

We will also place the United States on a trajectory to meet our long‐term Copenhagen commitment to jointly mobilize $100 billion per year in public and private sources by 2020 in the context of meaningful mitigation actions and transparency from developing countries.

(excuse me, WHOSE Copenhagen commitment? Run that by me again? And for HOW MUCH?!)

Careful students of the Bible know that we will always have extreme poverty in the world. Attempting to mitigate it by charitable measures is fine. Taking from my wallet to do it -at gunpoint- without so much as a 'by yer leave' is Not Cool.