Spinning for Saudi Arabia

[nosmokes]

original

Bill Berkowitz
WorkingForChange
11.15.02

Spinning for Saudi Arabia
U.S. PR firms working overtime polishing Kingdom's tarnished image

Saudi Arabia, the home base for 15 of the 19 September 11 terrorists, is seen by many Americans, to put it generously, as an ambivalent ally in the "war against terrorism." According to a recent report from the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), "individuals and charities based in Saudi Arabia have been the most important source of funds for al-Qaeda; and for years, Saudi officials have turned a blind eye to this problem." (Read CFR's report, "Terrorist Financing," here.)
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Hiring Patton Boggs to distribute Embassy backgrounders -- $170,000.

Hiring Burson-Marsteller to smooth out the Kingdom's "war on terrorism" record -- $2.7 million.

Hiring Qorvis Communications to bolster Saudi Arabia's flagging image in the U.S. -- $200,000 per month.

Keeping the American public and the U.S. military off its back? -- Priceless.
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Bill Berkowitz is a longtime observer of the conservative movement. His WorkingForChange column Conservative Watch documents the strategies, players, institutions, victories and defeats of the American Right.  

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