Former President George W. Bush on Thursday made the case for U.S. spending to "save millions of lives" around the globe, a goal he called both "moral" and "practical."
At an awards dinner held by the international policy think tank, the Atlantic Council — which awarded Bush its Distinguished International Leadership Award — the former president argued the international community must continue to fight against HIV and AIDS, The Hill reported.
"Some Americans may ask, 'Is this really in our national interest? Why are we spending money abroad when we've got big problems here at home?' Those are legitimate questions," Bush said, The Hill reported.
"Here's my answer: I believe that spending less than two-tenths of 1 percent of our federal budget to save millions of lives is the moral, the practical and in the national security interests of the United States."
"When we confront suffering, when we save lives, we breathe hope into the devastated populations, strengthen and stabilize societies, and make our country and the world safer," Bush added, The Hill reported.
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