Foreign Governments Buying Washington Influence Is Nothing New

The DP World dealings have focused attention on the UAE government which has recruited both Bob Dole and Bill Clinton to various degrees to push along the deal. The UAE government donated $100 milion to the Bush Administration just before this deal started to be promoted.

Such foreign influence in our government is certainly very common it seems.

China holds $252.3 billion in U.S. bonds. Japan holds $687.3 billion in U.S. bonds. China exported $726 billion in goods to the U.S. last year. A huge trade gap is tolerated from major nations such as these when the U.S. allows them to hold the keys to so much of our national debt.

Former Prime Minister of Malaysia, Mahathir Mohamad stated that lobbyist Jack Abramoff was paid $1.2 million to arrange a White House meeting with President Bush, although he claimed that the Malaysian government was not the source. Early in 2001, Abramoff began collecting lbby fees from various interests to arrange meetings at the White House and other high level influence. Abramoff had reportedly contacted Karl Rove four times to arrange for a meeting between Mahathir and Bush. Malaysia is growing importer of food products into the U.S.

And there is other evidence that Tom Delay was conected to a trip to malaysia in October 2001, and other Congressional members in January 2002 related to lobby efforts of Jack Abramoff who had received $300,000 from the Malaysia government.

While Malaysia may be an ally in the war on terror, still it has a terrible human rights record and Mahathir has also been seen as antisemitic as well.