Thread by @RichardHanania

Some highlights from the stimulus bill. First, not less than $10 million for gender programs in Pakistan. $50 million for "women's leadership abroad." 1/n

Support for democratization in the former Soviet Union, and $20 million to "strengthen democracy and civil society in Central Europe, including for transparency, independent media, rule of law, minority rights, and programs to combat anti-Semitism." 2/n

No Chinese poultry in the school lunch program. Pork and beef ok? Which lobbyist got this in there? 3/n

$85 million to Cambodia. But it only gets its money if it "assert its sovereignty against interference by the People’s Republic of China." Why does the US need to pay other countries to assert their sovereignty? Plant seeds to create future excuses to engage further? 4/n

Funding for Afghanistan of course. Schools must be "accessible to both women and men in a coeducational environment." Policy must be more liberal in Afghanistan than the US, where gov does fund single-sex schools. 5/n

$81 million for Laos. Unlike Cambodia, they don't seem to have to fight China to get it. 6/n

$81 million for "democracy and Internet freedom programs for Hong Kong, including legal and other support for democracy activists." This is a policy of regime change or secession. What we accuse Russia of doing covertly, other countries actually have to hide this stuff. 7/n

Duerte has apparently displeased the empire. "None of the funds appropriated by this Act may be made available for counternarcotics assistance for the Philippines." 8/n

US will "seek to establish international diplomatic coalitions" to ensure China does not "select, educate, and venerate Tibetan Buddhist religious leaders" in a way inconsistent with traditional practices. China better not venerate the wrong monks! 9/n

"STATEMENT OF POLICY REGARDING THE SUCCESSION OR REINCARNATION OF THE DALAI LAMA" is a heading that now appears in American law. 10/n

"Nothing in this Act may be construed as authorizing the use of force against Iran." At least there's that! 11/n

$250 million for border security to "reimburse" various Middle East countries, with $150 million to Jordan. Recipients include Qatar, per capita one of the richest countries in the world. 12/n

Being told that this isn't the actual stimulus bill that I'm quoting, but another bill attached to the stimulus (therefore still going to be law). Was going off of CNN, which says this is the stimulus itself. 13/n cnn.com/2020/12/21/pol…

Funds in the bill cannot be used to release Khalid Sheikh Muhammad and resettle him in your neighborhood. 14/n

Up to $500 million for Jordanian border security, goes beyond the $150 million. Also funds to guarantee Jordanian loans. Being an Arab country that keeps quiet pays very well. 15/n

"Grants for shuttered venue operators" bans aid going to "live performances of a prurient sexual nature." No strip club bailouts. 16/n

Funds go to South and Central Asian countries "to significantly increase the recruitment, training, and retention of women in the judiciary, police, and other security forces." 17/n

At least $20 million to integrate women into the Afghan military. 18/n

Back to the home front. We're getting a Women's History Museum and something called the "National Museum of the American Latino." 19/n

Bill allows funds to create a nonprofit "to promote the study of the Latin American diaspora in the United States." In other words, Trump and a Republican Senate are providing federal support for ethnic studies. 20/n

DNI has to file a report on diversity in the intelligence community within 180 days. 21/n

$48 million for "minority business development." The bill is helpful enough to tell you which minorities count. 22/n

Funds cannot "provide incentives for the migration and settlement of non-Tibetans into Tibet." $8 million to preserve Tibetan culture, etc. Regardless of context, the US having a policy of maintaining ethnic and cultural purity in a region of another country is strange. 23/n

Wonder what US foreign policy does when it discovers that Tibetan culture has different roles for men and women. Guessing they look past it, like they do with nationalists in Ukraine. 24/n