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State Dept merged with Big Business interests a long time ago

Reader comment on item: The Saudis' Covert P.R. Campaign

Submitted by patricia kimball (United States), Aug 10, 2004 at 16:06

State Dept 'Arabists' (predominantly members of an East Coast establishment/ WASP elite accustomed to living abroad as high-status diplomats, with their servants & private school bills & retirement paid by US taxpayers) recognized Iraq as a potential goldmine and, in 1985, organized a "US-Iraq Business Forum" (of course, better us than the French--who are 100% entrenched & fighting us for the sake of hegemony there--but still...) The State Dept does not represent the interests of the US or its citizens but, rather, represented its own business interests, along with those of Hunt Oil, GM, Westinghouse, etc. (to the tune of $3.6 billion in 1989 per US News & World Report), until the 1990 Iraqi invasion of Kuwait.

There is no reason whatsoever to think that anything different is going on between the State Dept & Saudi Arabia at this time.

As for "experts" interviewed on PBS, CNN, etc., and at various fora, they are typically said State Dept types perhaps identified as former ambassadors; their business connections/interests are never mentioned.
Submitting....

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Reader comments (21) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
Still Timely After All These Years [38 words]GWKMay 7, 2008 15:35128004
Errrr... [30 words]Errrr...Mar 6, 2006 16:0839087
Dependence on Islamic Countries for oil vs Energy Independence!! [65 words]Bob LangNov 21, 2004 09:1018482
James Baker et al [32 words]TeresaAug 18, 2004 19:0416427
Typically sound comment [21 words]Jeff MagnusonAug 14, 2004 02:2516330
Saudi Arabia [84 words]Bernard FreedmanAug 13, 2004 08:2916321
The Saudis' Covert P.R. Campaign- Art.2006 [18 words]S.C.PandaAug 12, 2004 06:3716309
Saudi Hospitality? [41 words]Tim RobertsAug 11, 2004 21:1716307
Excellent work Daniel [36 words]Keith van BruntAug 11, 2004 20:4516306
Suggested Clarification [67 words]Theodore CohenAug 11, 2004 11:0416301
The Decline and Fall of Western Civilization [133 words]Darwin BarrettAug 10, 2004 20:2016296
Thanks, but who are these PR flacks? [19 words]Stan BrinAug 10, 2004 18:2716293
Saudi covert PR campaign [165 words]bruce schneiderAug 10, 2004 17:5416292
Nothing new [72 words]Harold FoxAug 10, 2004 17:3216291
State Dept merged with Big Business interests a long time ago [168 words]patricia kimballAug 10, 2004 16:0616290
the devil you know? [251 words]john w. mcginleyAug 10, 2004 14:2416285
Saudi Arabian Lip Service [92 words]Michelle HudsonAug 10, 2004 14:1416284
Saudia Arabia's Public Relations [32 words]Nanette VanSickleAug 10, 2004 13:2416283
What About The Democrats? [78 words]yonasonAug 10, 2004 12:0616282
Saudi Funding of Middle East Experts [136 words]Rory NurielAug 10, 2004 09:3816280
The Saudis........ [63 words]Herbert StoneAug 10, 2004 09:0916279

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