State Department and Pentagon Tussle Over Control of Foreign Military Aid

State Department and Pentagon Tussle Over Control of Foreign Military Aid by Missy Ryan, Washington Post

President Obama’s most senior advisers convened last month to consider changes to the way the United States provides security aid to foreign nations, as a long-running struggle for control between the State and Defense departments intensifies.

At the heart of the controversy is whether the State Department will retain its historic jurisdiction over security aid, or whether the Pentagon, which Congress has bestowed with increasing autonomy and resources over the past decade, will eclipse Foggy Bottom in taking greater responsibility for engagement with allied nations overseas.

The June 30 meeting of Cabinet officials centered on execution of Obama’s 2013 directive on security assistance, which sought to ensure that the billions of aid dollars the United States provides to allied nations each year are used more effectively.

Adding to concerns at the State Department is a series of proposals in this year’s defense authorization bill, which would give the Pentagon permanent control over certain aid programs and greater flexibility in supporting counterterrorism activities overseas…

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