There is no question that the United Nations Millennium Development Goals provide the world with the most significant opportunity in the history of humankind. The MDGs, established in 2000 by the largest gathering of world leaders ever assembled. These leaders representing 191 countries met in New York City and agreed to a time-frame for ending the world’s top global concerns.

All agreed that today’s world is one of both opportunity and technology, and is a world where just little political effort would be required to achieve the eight utterly affordable goals. Now, eight years later, even though a number of countries are making wonderful progress toward meeting the goals, so much more needs to be done.

Most experts agree that to achieve the eight Millennium Development Goals would require an annul expenditure of between $40 -60 Billion annually for the next fifteen years. That amount seems large until it is put into perspective. 

The United States will spend over $230 Billion this year on military contractors. If the United States would put just a fifth of its military hardware budget toward making the world a better and more just place, the MDG’s could be fully funded.

The truth is that even as our government has vocally supported the Millennium Development Goals, the rhetoric has not been matched by action. In fact, many of the decisions made and actions taken by the current administration have been intentionally counterproductive toward meeting the MDGs.

The United States cannot and should not be unilaterally responsible for achieving the Millennium Development Goals. But, it should provide the necessary leadership to make sure the goals are met. We need to lead by example and demonstrate a moral strength that inspires the rest of the world. So far, that has not happened.

The world can end hunger and poverty. But our nation should provide the leadership to make it happen. So far, however, our leaders have lacked both the moral wisdom and the political will to provide such leadership. And so millions of poor will remain hungry in a world which daily demonstrates it really doesn’t care.