ABSTRACT
This chapter provides what extent and in what ways the United States has reshaped its post-September 11 foreign assistance strategies with a view toward reconciling the pursuits of freedom and security, reconciling its security interests with those of developing countries, and simultaneously supporting the strengthening of fragile states through its foreign assistance programs in sub-Saharan Africa. It offers the hypothesis that in fact USAID's parallel promotion of democracy has supported the strengthening of fragile states, thereby preparing the foundations for the formation of host country national security strategies that can then be reconciled with, rather than overridden by, the United States global pursuit of its post-September 11 security strategy. Snyder and Mansfield speak of 'democratic institutions', there is nothing democratic about the way in which Snyder and Mansfield proposes to accomplish formation and strengthening of effective institutions. The National Security Strategy (NSS) promised to 'make freedom and the development of democratic institutions key themes in bilateral relations'.
