The Bush administration is cutting condom funding for the Marie Stopes International (MSI) clinics in Africa. The Bush administration charges that MSI condones forced abortions in China.

MSI denies those accusations.

How are abortions in China related to condoms in Africa?

It goes something like this. MSI supports the Chinese government family planning program. This essentially limits the Chinese family to one child. Over the years, many valid charges have been made against Chinese authorities that forced abortions and sterilizations have occurred. The Bush administration apparently feels that MSI could do more about that problem in China. Although, it is hard to imagine the Chinese government letting any agency do significant work in China that stood in the way of major Chinese policy.

In Africa, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) operates a program providing contraceptives to governments that then pass the contraceptives onto organizations like MSI. USAID will now attach the condition that these contraceptives not be distributed to MSI. Many African counties will now need to redirect their already limited family planning distribution. MSI may face a shortage of contraceptives at its clinics as well.

The end result? Undoubtedly, there will be more pregnancies and, ultimately, more abortions in Africa. Only the Bush administration can make a forced abortion in China create more abortions in Africa.