Minnesotans and the rest of the U.S. population sometimes feel the ripple effects of instability in other parts of the world, and humanitarian groups hope a new federal plan to curb atrocities will help people abroad and at home.

This spring, the Biden administration laid out specific strategies under the Global Fragility Act, approved in 2019 with bipartisan support. It focuses on preventing some of the underlying drivers of conflict, like genocide or ethnic violence.

Felicity Gray, global head of policy and advocacy for the group Nonviolent Peaceforce, said people are well-informed about the direct effects of the war in Ukraine but other conflicts have their reach, too.

"Whether it's on the security front, or whether it's how much you're paying to fill up your car," Gray outlined. "By being really proactive about stabilization and conflict prevention, we can hopefully actually save a lot of money and a lot of heartache for communities around the world as well."

After consulting with partner countries like Haiti, the U.S. government will deploy 10-year commitments in vulnerable areas. Foreign policy experts said it should allow the U.S. to be less reactive, with fewer costly military interventions.

For Americans wondering about how to measure the progress of this initiative, Gray stressed patience will be key.

"And so, it's really more of a slow burn than we've usually seen in our engagement in other countries," Gray explained.

Gray noted in the future, people in affected regions will hopefully see more long-lasting stability. In the U.S., an eventual measuring stick might involve less panic over factors like inflation as it relates to foreign policy.

She added as the strategy is implemented, it is important for the federal government to maintain proper support, in terms of funding and training.

Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance, now the GOP's vice-presidential candidate, cited campaign commitments as his reason for not attending Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's address to Congress on Wednesday. Many lawmakers of both parties also boycotted the speech because of their stance on Netanyahu's leadership.

Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., said in a post on X that "I don't feel like being a prop so I won't be attending," arguing that the speech is an attempt to boost the prime minister's domestic political standing.

Kent State student Yaseen Shaikh traveled to protest the visit, calling it a charade and noting the visit comes at a unique time for Americans, too.

"The timing of the elections in relation to this visit couldn't be more interesting. It's become a lot about kissing up to Netanyahu and the Israeli lobby to influence this election as well as to influence Netanyahu's PR in Israel. We know the theatrics," Shaikh said.

President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris also missed the address but have a planned meeting to discuss cease-fire operations in the Middle East today. And Netanyahu plans to meet GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida on Friday.

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson invited the P.M. to come to Congress in light of student demonstrations around the country, but some student groups participated in counter events at the Capitol on Wednesday.

Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., spoke at an event called "Peace is Possible: An Alternative Vision for Israel and Palestine" as Netanyahu delivered his speech.

Ohio Student Association member Aimee Flores said funds should go toward student debt relief and affordable education rather than on weapons for Israel.

"There is absolutely no reason that Ohio citizens should be living below the poverty line, having to worry about predatory student loans, or issues of homelessness or unhousing, when we are able to invest thousands or millions of dollars overseas into funding a genocide," Flores said.

As the political tension surrounding the speech continues, the impact of these events on upcoming elections remains to be seen. Palestinian activist Aziz Abu Sarah and Israeli peace activist Maoz Inon gave a message of hope at the counter event. Both lost family members since the Hamas attack on Israel on Oct. 7.


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CLARIFICATION: Parts of this story were rephrased to clarify that the United States does not send nuclear weapons to Israel or any other nation. (12:32 p.m. MDT, July 8, 2024)

A Knoxville-based environmental group is sounding the alarm about the country's increased spending on weapons being deployed in defense of Israel.

The proposed U.S. defense budget allocates over $60 billion for nuclear weapons programs, a 4% increase over the previous year.

Tanvi Kardile with the Oak Ridge Environmental Peace Alliance said a $14 billion package was passed recently to provide additional weapons to Israel.

The alliance isn't taking sides in the conflict in Gaza, and supports calls for divestment from all nuclear weapons.

"The U.S. budget for weapons just keeps getting higher and higher each year," said Kardile. "This year, there's an $850 billion defense budget. And this has gone up by 31% from last year, and $69 billion of those would go for nuclear weapons operations."

U.S. policy is not to send American nuclear weapons to any other nation. And although most experts say Israel has its own nuclear arms, the nation has never admitted it.

American nuclear arms - including submarine missiles - have been deployed in the Mediterranean and could be used in defense of Israel. The U.S. also supplies it with extensive, conventional weapons.

Kardile said the alliance sees the increase in spending as a taxpayer burden, and notes the government could be using those dollars for healthcare, education, public transportation, and fighting homelessness - which would help people in Tennessee and across the country.

Besides the tax implications, Kardile said her group is concerned with the ongoing risks closer to home - tied to enriching uranium and other activities at the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge.

She added that the projected cost of expanding the facility is up to $9.3 billion.

"It's also a big burden on the people of Tennessee because it is a public health risk, environmental risk as well," said Kardile. "So, this issue directly affects Tennesseans."

The U.S. Department of Energy says the Y-12 complex "plays a key role in strengthening national security," and that nuclear weapons are a deterrent to the nation's enemies.

But Kardile said major defense contractors have seen their stock prices skyrocket as they continue to profit from the war in Gaza, and from weapons sales in general.

Haitian-led groups in Massachusetts are calling for a temporary pause in deportations as political instability and violence engulf the island.

They said anything less would be a death sentence. Armed gangs now control most of the capital city, Port-au-Prince, cutting distribution of medical and food supplies.

Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass. said the U.S. must help restore security and save lives.

"Stabilizing Haiti is not just the right thing to do," Pressley stated. "It is essential to addressing the migrant and asylum-seeking crisis here at home."

Massachusetts has one of the largest Haitian diasporas in the country, and Haitians now make up the vast majority of asylum-seekers currently residing in the state's shelter system.

The United Nations reports nearly 400,000 Haitians have been displaced by the recent violence, with many seeking shelter in public buildings. Heavily-armed groups set fire to more than 20 school classrooms in the capital last month and are recruiting children.

Guerline Jozef, executive director of the Haitian Bridge Alliance, said American-made weapons are fueling the crisis.

"Haiti does not produce arms, does not produce ammunition," Jozef pointed out. "All of those are coming from the outside."

Aid groups say weapons are often hidden among donations in shipping containers traveling from U.S. ports. Jozef, along with other Haitian-led groups, is asking House Republicans to unblock $40 million in requested State Department funding for an international security force to help restore order and safe routes for relief groups to operate.


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