Elections have consequences

In the past year conservatives arguing for confirmation of federal judges have used the mantra - "Elections have consequences." That saying also has meaning in our relations with other countries. First, the Palestinian Authority elected a terrorist entity, Hamas to lead them and we responded by cutting the purse strings. Now Bolivia is upset that we are cutting military aid to that country.

Morales, a coca farmer who once described his socialist movement as a "nightmare for the U.S.," said the U.S. military told Bolivian military chiefs last week the country was no longer seen as a suitable partner in the war on terrorism. "Because we don't accept vetoes or the change of a commander, blackmail comes from the U.S. armed forces," Morales was quoted as saying, referring to perceived U.S. interference in the Bolivian military.

I am no fan of foreign aid handouts, but if we are going to give out money it should come with strings attached. Elect an anti-American socialist nut job and we will be less inclined to train your military and not likely to consider your country a reliable asset in the war on terror. Did Morales actually think we were giving his country the aid because we like them?