Too little choice, too much ideology

The Center for Public Integrity's International Consortium of Investigative Journalists conducted a yearlong investigation into how rigid rules and restrictions of President Bush's initiative to fight HIV/AIDS have affected countries struggling with the pandemic. The investigation found that restrictive funding and emphasis on abstinence have hindered the $15 billion effort. "Information accumulated by reporters in the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) through more than 100 interviews, examination of thousands of pages of documents and reporting on the ground in affected countries indicates that this historic opportunity may be slipping away, because PEPFAR's (President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief) 'flawed framework' has stressed a restrictive use of the funds earmarked to combat HIV/AIDS." The investigation reveals a pattern of contradictory, conflicting and confusing policies and concludes that the picture presented is one of an extraordinarily disorganized operation. The project's home page can be viewed here.