Today, Land O’Lakes President and CEO Chris Policinski penned an op-ed for The Hill on why the International Affairs Budget makes smart business sense. Policinski, who also serves as chairman of the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition’s Business Advisory Council, wrote “ultimately, investing in development isn’t just ‘doing good,’ it’s an economic and social imperative.” Later today, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Co-Chair Bill Gates will be speaking before the Chicago Council on World Affairs, focusing on farming families in the developing world and the important role they play in cutting hunger and poverty.

Must Reads
USGLC In the News

A results-driven approach to international development (Chris Policinski – The Hill)

At first glance, it may seem strange for a farmer-owned cooperative to be so deeply involved in international development. The reason we’ve invested our time, expertise and resources is that we recognize the critical link between food security and economic prosperity and political stability. Ultimately, investing in development isn’t just “doing good,” it’s an economic and social imperative.

Who’s In the News

US must do more for global food security (Catherine Bertini & Dan Glickman – Politico)

How do you feed 10 billion people? It is not just a humanitarian question, but a vital U.S. national security imperative.

Reaffirming the bond between America and Israel (Senator Marco Rubio – National Review)

Today, the “Arab Spring” that toppled authoritarian rulers in Tunisia and Egypt now threatens tyrants in Libya and Syria. America should be working to ensure that these transitions do not come at the expense of security, especially Israel’s. But instead, our bond with Israel is unconscionably being torn apart by the Obama administration’s policies and its bizarre adversarial treatment of a long-standing friend.

Smart Power

American “Smart Power” (VOA News)

Military force may sometimes be necessary, but diplomacy and development are equally important in creating peaceful, stable and prosperous conditions – that’s the conclusion of the U.S. Department of State.

Politics/Foreign Policy
Obama’s Middle East plan no sure thing in Congress (Emily Cadei – CQ)

The Obama administration’s proposed economic assistance for the Middle East and North Africa has a relatively modest price tag, but it could face serious resistance in Congress.  In particular, President Obama’s proposal for expanded American investment and commerce in the region, outlined in a speech last week, risks becoming bogged down in the sort of domestic political disputes that have stalled many other trade initiatives with the developing world in recent years.

Granger: No aid for Egypt if Muslim Brotherhood has large presence (Josh Rogin – The Cable blog)

President Barack Obama announced $2 billion in new aid to Egypt in his May 19 speech on the Middle East, but top appropriators in the House said on Monday that they don’t support giving the money to any government that includes the Muslim Brotherhood.

GOP sees red over China (Alexander Burns – Politico)

The 2012 foreign policy debate is just getting underway but already the Republican presidential field has picked a favorite overseas punching bag: China.  After several presidential elections dominated by security issues in the Middle East, fear of a red menace in the Far East is making a comeback. And no country in that region casts a larger or more frightening political shadow than China – a nation that seems to embody every economic and foreign policy anxiety of the GOP primary electorate.