USAID must be saved

The Trump administration's plan to shut down the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), should be rejected by Americans. USAID's lifesaving work around the globe includes the Food for Peace program started by President Dwight Eisenhower. Let's take a step back in time to understand the importance of the American humanitarian tradition that led to the Food for Peace movement.

We just marked the 80th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge when American and Allied troops heroically beat back a final big offensive by German forces during World War II.

But less known is the silent struggle that was occurring during the Battle of the Bulge and aftermath. In fact, British Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery asked Dwight Eisenhower, the Supreme Allied Commander, for help with food shortages in Belgium. The Battle of the Bulge had caused major damage to food supplies in Belgium. Hunger was a foe the Allies did not want to see gain strength. Lack of food leads to chaos, unrest and all kinds of problems among a civilian population.

Eisenhower had to divert food supplies in the Netherlands to help make up for the losses in Belgium. This was a behind the scenes heroic move that saved lives from starvation. But Eisenhower knew more food was going to be needed to replenish those supplies. You have stay steps ahead of hunger to keep it from worsening.

Eisenhower and his staff worked to get more shipments of food moving to Europe to make sure the Allies could fight hunger. This again led to more heroics as Allied forces were later able to supply food to the famine ravaged Netherlands.

That experience no doubt influenced Eisenhower later as president when he created The Food For Peace program, which has been the main U.S. tool for fighting world hunger ever since. Food for Peace became part of USAID, which was started during the Kennedy administration.

Wherever there is war or natural disasters there is also hunger. Food for Peace takes on that enemy daily by supporting hunger relief globally. You simply cannot have a peaceful or stable world where there is hunger. Our Food for Peace program should be seeing increases in funding especially with humanitarian emergencies escalating around the globe.

Instead the Trump administration has been taking steps to shut down USAID, which includes Food for Peace. The Trump administration ordered a 90 day freeze in foreign aid which has forced a halt to some hunger relief programs.

“Dismantling USAID would be a callous, destructive political power play that would have deadly consequences for millions of people living in dire humanitarian emergencies and extreme poverty. Any attempt by President Trump to dissolve or merge USAID with the State Department would be legally dubious and must be swiftly challenged in court" said Oxfam America president and CEO Abby Maxman.

We need our international aid programs especially with so many wars and droughts taking place globally.

Our leaders should be working to enhance Food for Peace, not shut it down or diminish it. Think of the lifesaving infant nutrition programs that Food for Peace sponsors. How do you shut down programs that saves the lives of severely malnourished children?

The American people have historically never turned away from the cries of hunger abroad. We can't start now. We should be supporting and increasing Food for Peace and other USAID humanitarian programs. U.S. farms are an important supplier of Food for Peace and shutting it down impacts them too.

Eighty years ago, even during the stress of The Battle of the Bulge and World War II, we ran humanitarian aid programs to feed the hungry in Belgium, the Netherlands and other countries. The American people supported aid overseas through the National War Fund too.

If we can run humanitarian aid missions during World War II, we can so certainly do so now. Let's increase our humanitarian aid, not freeze it.

Today food remains the best hope for peace around the world. Food is the foundation of all reconstruction, economic development and stability. If hunger is allowed to proliferate we face a world of increasing unrest and chaos.

Everyone can write to their elected officials asking them to support Food for Peace and USAID. The agency should be allowed to keep running and the Food for Peace mission started by Eisenhower must continue. America's humanitarian spirit must carry on.

William Lambers is an author who partnered with the U.N. World Food Program on the book “Ending World Hunger.” His father Vincent was with the Army in Europe during World War II and said they would always fed the hungry children when they would ask for food.