THE MAKING OF US FOREIGN POLICY CLASS MEETING

THE MAKING OF US FOREIGN POLICY CLASS MEETING OCTOBER 21, 2014 Think Tanks and Lobbyists: What Are They Good For?

LOBBYISTS: WHAT ARE THEY GOOD FOR? Key words: K-Street: major thoroughfare in Washington D. C. that runs from Georgetown to a portion of downtown D. C. Known as center for thinks tanks, lobbyists and advocacy groups In political discourse a metonym (a figure of speech in which a thing or concept is called not by its own name but rather by the name of something associated in meaning with that thing or concept) for Washington’s lobbying industry since many lobbying firms were located on the section in Northwest Washington which passes from Georgetown through a portion of downtown D. C. Since the late 1980 s many of the largest lobbying firms have moved out (one of the top-20 lobbying firms is located there today.

http: //joelkimmel. com/portfolio/lobby-firms-map/

http: //www. washingtonpost. com/business/capitalbusiness/a-look-the-number-of-clients-dc-lobbyingfirms-had-in-the-first-quarter/2014/05/30/8 ead 0 dca-e 846 -11 e 3 -a 86 b-362 fd 5443 d 19_graphic. html

http: //www. theblaze. com/stories/2011/07/02/libyan-rebels-hire-top-d-c-lobbying-firm/#

“PRIVATIZATION OF DIPLOMACY” John Newhouse: “Although some major foreign governments continue to work mainly through their embassies in Washington, nearly one hundred countries rely on lobbyists to protect and promote their interests. The subculture of public relations and law firms that do this kind of work reflects a steady decline and privatization of diplomacy--with an increasing impact on how the United States conducts its own foreign policy”.

“ETHNIC” LOBBIES “The strongest lobbies promoting foreign interests are driven by cohesive ethnic population groups in the United States, such as Armenia, China, Greece, India, Israel, Taiwan, Ukraine, and, historically, Ireland”. “A lobbying group can identify with a domestic ethnic bloc even though it is paid by a foreign government. Ethnic politics can trump corporate interests and, more important, influence what agencies within the U. S. government may see as the national interest”.

QUESTIONS ON THE READINGS John Newhouse reading: Why does the fact that America is a nation of immigrants makes it vulnerable to pressure and influence from special interest groups? Explain how and in what way lobbyists operate as surrogates. Why may it seem like a good idea to use the service of a lobbyist to efficiently get your message across and to exert the influence you wish? Why do we often find ex-Congressmen and women in lobbying-firms? Discuss how lobbying-firms operate in regards to foreign clients. Do you think that the involvement of lobbyists in U. S. foreign policy (directly or indirectly) may be harmful to U. S. interests?

QUESTIONS John Newhouse cont. Why is lobbying more effective on Capitol Hill? Discuss the fact that lobbyists may functions as “go-between” between foreign countries and the U. S. in matters of trade deals etc. Do you see a problem with this? Which lobbying factions on Capitol Hill are the most influential? Do you agree with the author when he says that “… activities of lobbyists working on behalf of foreign governments or businesses--notably those whose focus is largely commercial, not political--can be useful and in line with the national interest”. Name early lobbyist influences in the United States. Explain what the FARA is and in what context it was created. What does LDA stand for?

QUESTIONS Why is India’s U. S. -based lobby unlikely to acquire the strength of the “Israeli Lobby” according to the author? What can you say about the influence of lobby groups in regards to NATO’s expansion in the mid-1990 s?

“THE NEW ISRAEL AND THE OLD” Were U. S. policy-makers unanimous in their recognition of the state of Israel? Why do Americans support Israel according Mead? Why do Americans support Israel more than they support the Arabs, the Palestinians?

THE ISRAELI LOBBY Under what umbrella does the so called “Israeli Lobby” operate? What does the abbreviation AIPAC stand for? What did AIPAC succeed to do in 1995? What does AIPAC do? Why do you think that the author calls the “Israel Lobby” a model lobby? How is the “Israeli Lobby” perceived by a majority of U. S. academics according to the author? Name other Israeli interest groups which according to the author are functioning as counter organizations to the “Israeli Lobby”. What happened to Chaz Freeman? Why do you think that AIPAC was opposed to his nomination?

AIPAC President Michael Kassen and Israel’s Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu

Stephen Walt and John Mearsheimer, The Israeli Lobby and U. S. Foreign Policy, New York: Farrar, Strauss and Giroux, 2007.

“THE NEW ISRAEL AND THE OLD” Were U. S. policy-makers unanimous in their recognition of the state of Israel? Why do Americans support Israel according Mead? Why do Americans support Israel more than they support the Arabs, the Palestinians?

“THE NEW ISRAEL AND THE OLD” What does Christian Zionists (Prophetic Zionists) believe? Discuss the notion among some Americans to be the chosen people at same way as the Jews. Should this belief be thought of as an element of American exceptionalism according to you? Discuss the “Jacksonians perception of Israel as endangered and embattled. Do you think that we should understand U. S. policy in Israel from this perspective? Discuss the religious revivals in the United States that Mead refers to.

IS THERE AN ARAB LOBBY? Dr. Mitchell Bard argues that there is an Arab Lobby which dates from the beginning of the U. S. oil-involvement in Saudi Arabia.

“PETRO-DIPLOMATIC COMPLEX” Bard argues that an influential Arab Lobby has sought to counter the Israel lobby by tilting U. S. foreign policy towards a pro-Arabist and anti. Israel direction. According to Bard the lobby has two components: an “oil lobby" and a “domestic Palestinian advocacy lobby”. The oil lobby is described as a "petroleum-diplomatic complex" consisting of Saudi Arabia, Arabist sympathizers within the State Department and the diplomatic community and defense contractors.

“ARAB LOBBY” Palestinian advocacy groups include mainline non-evangelical Christian denominations, Arab and Muslim-American interest groups, and Middle Eastern Studies academics. Bard traces the origins of the "petroleum-diplomatic complex" to the days of. King Saud. The main premise is that the Saudis and the Gulf States have the oil and will supply it to America and its allies on the condition that America keeps the Arab ruling families in power.

Has countered Bard’s argument of an Arab Lobby. He denies the existence of such a lobby arguing that there are numerous Arab interests. James Joseph Zogby: author of Arab Voices and the founder and president of the Arab American Institute.

1981 AWACS DEBATE “In the last few weeks, on the other hand, civilian and military officials deeply involved in the increasingly contested Administration proposal to sell Saudi Arabia five Awacs and other air combat equipment, including 1, 177 Sidewinders, have been strongly stressing the ''defensive'' nature of the Awacs system, and its vulnerability to either electromagnetic jamming or to being shot down should Saudi Arabia ever fly it close to Israel. Objections to the sale have nonetheless been so effective that last week it seemed doubtful that it could avoid a Congressional veto unless it is modified. Late in the week, three-way negotiations between Saudi officials, the Administration and key senators began in an effort to find a mutually acceptable formula for keeping some American crew members on Saudi Awacs for several years”. http: //www. nytimes. com/1981/09/27/weekinreview/key-arguments-jammed-in -the-debate-over-awacs. html

Prince Bandar bin Sultan Ambassador to the U. S. 1983 -2005 Involved in the lobbying of AWACS in 1981.

MEDIA LINKS http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=8 VPv 55 f 3 Nu 8 AIPAC BIBI http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=-q. A-Myw. Wp. Mg Doha Debate http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=Dnn. Q_q. Tx 9 r. Y Mearsheimer/Walt argument http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=AVk. E 9 eu. A 3 UY&list=UUIKSXz. Ki 6 UHJAck M 4 Z 3 n. BPw Zogby

MEDIA LINKS http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=u. RGhm. Lm 0 ZDk Bill Maher Ben Affleck http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=mip. GYVx. JWNw Mitchell Bard Arab Lobby http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=Qx 6 Eo 1 k_Qf. I Noam Chomsky http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=VJoq 5 y 5 ofn. E London Review of Books