ERIC GREITENS is the CEO of The Mission Continues, which sponsors veterans’ participation in public service. He was formerly a US Navy SEAL officer and Commander of several Special Operations Units, and has worked as a humanitarian volunteer and researcher in many countries, including Rwanda, Cambodia, Albania, and the Gaza Strip.
We are interested in talking about international aid and what you think the state of that is. Harvard-trained economist Dambisa Moyo put forth a theory that aid keeps Africa poor and that we should curtail—if not change—the way we aid Africa. What do you think is the best way to resolve the tension between stopping aid and encouraging long-term growth in Africa and responding to the immediate need of the people there?