Foreign Aid Is ‘Most Unnecessary’ Expense

I very much appreciated Robert Rosenblatt’s attempt to pare down the budget (“Play the Budget-Buster Sweepstakes With GOP’S Contract Plan,” Dec. 4), especially the listing of some of the items we the taxpayers shell out for, and explanations accompanying.

Personally, I’d slash them all!

But Rosenblatt failed to mention the most unnecessary budget item of all, which is among the biggest: foreign aid, which I understand amounts to over $12 billion per year. That makes for $60 billion in five years--more than a third of the target.

Most citizens are ignorant to the fact that they are giving their money to non-Americans of every sort of political denomination. Those that are not ignorant to this fact are absolutely against it, unless they are passionate to special-interest groups. It seems to me that with the Cold War over and no apparent enemy, the U.S. doesn’t need to pander to strategically beneficial countries or assist countries with Communist leanings. It’s certainly neither sensible nor practical to go into debt to assist foreign countries.

KATHERINE CHILJAN

Northridge