"...Americans are a generous and caring people -- and our best investments in helping others (like the Marshall Plan) have repaid themselves many times over in the form of a more peaceful, prosperous world. Now the world is more interconnected than ever, and we face important global challenges that no nation can handle alone. Other countries are stepping up to the plate. We need to work with them and invest together in a better future for everyone..."

"...We know it matters how other people live. Our hearts tell us so -- and in an interconnected world, where instability in distant places can produce insecurity at home, common sense also dictates that we should help people in other countries lift themselves out of poverty. Solving global problems like hunger, illiteracy, and the spread of HIV/AIDS is in everyone's best interests. The question is, are we doing what we need to do to get results? If the U.S. spent just $50 more per American each year -- about what it costs to take your family to a couple of movies -- we could cut world hunger in half. Relatively modest investments like these would improve the lives of millions of men, women, and children -- and pay off many times over in the form of a more peaceful, prosperous world..."

"...Americans want the U.S. to do its share in international efforts to solve global problems like hunger, illiteracy, and the spread of HIV/AIDS. That hasn't changed and never will. But because we've been concentrating our attention on the military aspects of America's role in the world, we've lost track of the fact that our nation's relative contribution to the relief of human suffering has fallen behind that of other nations. Let's get back to doing our share and inspiring others with our example..."

"...Americans are caring people. We give generously to nonprofit organizations that work in crisis situations around the world. But unless our private acts of generosity are combined with the kind of largescale, sustained initiatives that only government can undertake, we may not make a lasting impact. When government does its part of the job, we can help poor countries build healthy, stable societies that are able to prevent and withstand crises..."

"...Development assistance is just one part of an effective strategy to help people and countries lift themselves out of poverty. Often what's most meaningful is opening up opportunities, not contributing money. When the U.S. and other wealthy nations negotiate trade policies that are fair and friendly to developing countries, for example, poor people who want to improve their lives have many more opportunities to do so. When the international community comes together to cancel the debts of impoverished countries that are committed to good government, those countries are freed to invest in health care and education, instead of having to keep paying interest on old loans that were made to prop up yesterday's dictators. When we encourage international agencies like the World Bank to build environmental protections and anticorruption measures into their lending, poor countries get more than money -- they get help creating sustainable, democratic societies. It's important that the pieces of this picture fit together and reflect the same basic values, or we and other nations could end up giving with one hand and taking away with the other. We can still make a difference if all these strategies aren't in place -- but we should keep working with other countries to make sure our approach is as complete and consistent as possible..."