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- NATION, Page 25American NotesFOREIGN AIDThe First Peace Dividend
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- When Panama and Nicaragua took their dramatic turns toward
- democracy with more than a little push from the U.S., President
- George Bush declared that both needed aid from America to
- rebuild their economies. But he did not say where he would find
- the money. As Congress seemed to dawdle over the problem, Bush
- last week said funds could be diverted from the military. If
- Congress agrees, this would be the first budgetary dividend
- from the global moves toward peace.
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- Calling the aid a "Fund for Democracy," Bush said Nicaragua
- should get $500 million and Panama $570 million. To pay for it,
- the Pentagon would postpone projects at Fort Ord, Calif., Fort
- Knox, Ky., and Fort Hood, Texas, delay repairing the damaged
- battleship Iowa and use savings from a hiring freeze. Bush said
- Congress should vote the aid package by April 6. It is expected
- to do so, but only after enlarging the pot. Since the President
- has opened the military vault, Congress presumably will look
- for the extra cash at the Pentagon.
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