Ostrolenk speaks with Lora Lumpe, Senior Policy Advisor at the Open Society Policy Center, on the status of U.S. military aid. The United States government spends roughly 20 billion dollars on security assistance through both the State Department and the Department of Defense; however, the true amount, Lumpe points out, is difficult to determine. Spending is done through numerous different pots of money making it difficult not only for citizens, but also members of government oversight committees, to know how and where money is being spent. Without a comprehensive budget and increased transparency, it is difficult to know how the programs are interacting, what overall impact they're having, and if the U.S. is reaching its goals. Most importantly, if the U.S. wants to spend money to ensure foreign governments are accountable and open to their people, it should model such behavior itself.

To learn more about Secuirty Assistance Monitor and their work, visit their website at: http://securityassistance.org/