Clinton Declares AIDS a Security Threat [Washington Post, April 30, 2000, pg. 1]: President Clinton noted that intelligence reports indicate that the dramatic decline in life expectancy in African countries represents a strong risk for unstable global conditions including revolutionary wars, ethnic wars, genocide, and other disruptions that could pose a risk to the security of the U.S. The result is that the U.S. must deal more effectively with this disease; consequently, Clinton asked Congress to double global HIV spending to $254 million. The Washington Post noted that there is "no precedent for treating disease as a security threat." It was also noted that this monetary allocation is far short of the $2 billion that the UN estimates would be necessary for HIV prevention in Africa.
Comment: Many would argue that this declaration is too little too late. HIV's devastation of Sub Sarahan Africa has been known for many years, and current statistics are staggering: 23.3 million infected; 8,000 new infections/day; 15-20 year decrease in life expectancy in most countries; 13.7 million deaths; and 10.7 million orphaned children. At present, Sub Sarahan, Africa accounts for 90% of pediatric HIV cases, 80% of HIV infection in women, and 83% of HIV-related deaths in the world. The extent of this devastation is not new, but it now seems to have reached a new level of public awareness. posted 5/25/2000