MER FLASHBACK TO 1995:

Saudi Propaganda
in America

This week's LIE OF THE WEEK goes to an entire feature section in the publication WASHINGTON REPORT ON MIDDLE EAST AFFAIRS. Published with considerable encouragement and support from the Arab establishment, especially the Saudis, this publication is in actuality a sophisticated propaganda vehicle with the primary purpose of distorting coverage of Middle East affairs in ways to the benefit and liking of the kings, royal families and "client-regimes" who rule, oppress, and squander the resources of the region. These quotes from the September 1995 issue of WASHINGTON REPORT ON MIDDLE EAST AFFAIRS -- with pictures of past and present Saudi Kings adorning the top page of the extensive cover featuring the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia:

"THE YEAR 1995 WILL GO DOWN IN MIDDLE EAST HISTORY
AS THE YEAR THAT SAUDI ARABIA GOT ITS SECOND WIND..."

"...SAUDI ARABIA'S REMARKABLE NEW CABINET."

"...THE SAUDI ECONOMIC RECOVERY IS VERY GOOD NEWS
FOR THE UNITED STATES."

Plus a gushing book review by former U.S. government official and Washington Report Editor Richard Curtiss of "DESSERT WARRIOR" By HRH (that's "His Royal Highness" if anyone is wondering) GENERAL KHALED BIN SULTAN.

------------

In the old colonial bastion, England, the wealthy Arab establishment has its exclusive, lavish dining clubs; its extensive lists of readily available women; a variety of political and journalistic hacks to do its bidding; and the publication MIDDLE EAST INTERNATIONAL to try to twist things their way among academics and intellectuals.

In the new superpower, America, the same fat-cat Arab establishment -- increasingly self-centered, increasingly parasitic, and increasingly despicable -- led by a group of Saudi businessmen along with members of the Royal family, and working in tandem with old-line State Department Arabists at the American Educational Trust (AET), also has their publication, this one seductively known as WASHINGTON REPORT ON MIDDLE EAST AFFAIRS.

Many publications accept features of paid advertising from governments, and sometimes corporations -- identifying them as such. But there's no need for the Saudis to purchase a paid advertising section, and to so label it, when it comes to the WASHINGTON REPORT -- for what appears in its pages is practically the very same thing masquerading as journalism and information.

If we had a "Lie Of The Year", for the current cover feature WASHINGTON REPORT would definitely be nominated...and would be likely to win! No doubt former Ambassador Andy Killgore (now Publisher of WASHINGTON REPORT) and Dick Curtiss (Executive Editor) have rushed copies to the Gulf to show off to their patrons and benefactors.

MER FLASHBACK TO 1997:

THE CIA, WASHINGTON, AND THE MIDDLE EAST

ROGER TAMRAZ IS HARDLY ALONE

MER - Washington - 9/21/97:

Certain things don't get publicly published very much in today's Washington; but behind-the-scenes the talking about these matters can be quite substantial. After all there are some rules of the Washington road if you want to ever cover the White House or the Pentagon for the national media; not to mention if you want to be invited to the annual National Press Club dinner! Among these usually unpublished matters are details of the CIA's involvement in such key areas as the Middle East, along with the names of those -- both individuals and institutions -- who work closely with the CIA and/or are agents of "the Agency". The recent notoriety of Lebanese oil-man Roger Tamraz has unusually lifted the CIA veil abit. The popular media hasn't said too much about it, but it seems that for more than 20 years Mr. Tamraz has been a "CIA asset" providing considerable inside information and gossip about many things going on in the Middle East, Eastern Europe and Russia.

The CIA tried dutifully to keep this part of Tamraz's dealings secret; but bits and pieces have leaked out. The larger reality is that Washington is in fact seeded with persons thought to be connected to the CIA in one way or another; and whose careers or business interests it seems have been rewarded accordingly.

One need not be an actual card-carrying agent entitled to a pension; there are plenty of less direct ways to be "connected" to the Agency in today's Washington; as the case of Mr. Tamraz makes clear.

There's the notorious Judith Kipper, now at the Center for Strategic and International Studies after various jaunts and assignments taking her repeatedly to the Middle East since the 1970s. Among other things she is thought to hold the recent record for sleeping with Arab diplomats and officials hoping to squeeze what she could out of them. Kipper is Jewish and there is also much suspicion her connections extend to Mossad, which of course closely cooperates with the CIA, and which has a long history of using woman and sex to get what it wants. As for CSIS, it was once connected to Georgetown University, but more than a decade ago the stink became too prevalent and Georgetown said good bye insisting that its name be taken off the door.

Then there's Jim Zogby of the "Arab-American Institute", long suspected, along with others in his family, of having ties of various kinds to the CIA over a long period of time. And indeed, Zogby has a long list of actions and interventions that not so surprisingly conform to what the Americans have wanted said and done over the years. Considerable money has flowed to Zogby and his Institute -- which incidentally is widely despised in many Arab American circles -- in the recent "Peace Process" years. Among so many other similar things, Zogby was quick to publicly applaud the Clinton Administration back in its first months for appointing such "even-handed" officials to deal with the Middle East, including former Israeli lobbyist Martin Indyk, now Assistant Secretary of State for the Middle East!

And one should add to the list former government officials Andrew Killgore and Dick Curtiss who in a sense masquerade these days as independent publishers of a monthly publication known as WASHINGTON REPORT ON MIDDLE EAST AFFAIRS while in actuality they are suspected of continuing to work closely at times with both the State Department and the CIA, as well as with a number of key Arab "client regimes", most especially the Saudis who have quietly provided them considerable funds over the years.

All this is just the proverbial tip of the iceberg of course. And it should not be very surprising that hard irrefutable "evidence" is quite hard if not impossible to come by -- such things are considered "national security" and very highly classified. In recent years the CIA has even taken to destroying records regarding the Middle East rather than risking their becoming public even many decades later.

Even so, over many years the circumstantial evidence in some cases becomes practically overwhelming; and the fact that these matters are openly talked about privately by Washington insiders is as well-known as the affair the new Secretary of State is said to be having with her youngish press spokesman (something else you're not likely to find clearly mentioned in The Washington Post or on the News Hour). Incidentally, the CIA has become very active in recent years in Gaza and the West Bank, and key persons associated with Yasser Arafat's "Authority", including Nabil Shaath and Jabril Rajoub, are known to have close and growing connections with "The Agency".

Please forward MER articles to others in their entirety with proper attribution.
We welcome your comments and information in the new MER FORUM.

MID-EAST REALITIES
www.MiddleEast.Org
Phone: (202) 362-5266
Fax: (815) 366-0800
Copyright © 2004 Mid-East Realities, All rights reserved

MER FLASHBACK TO 1995: Saudi Propaganda in America This week's LIE OF THE WEEK goes to an entire feature section in the publication WASHINGTON REPORT ON MIDDLE EAST AFFAIRS. Published with considerable encouragement and support from the Arab establishment, especially the Saudis, this publication is in actuality a sophisticated propaganda vehicle with the primary purpose of distorting coverage of Middle East affairs in ways to the benefit and liking of the kings, royal families and "client-regimes" who rule, oppress, and squander the resources of the region. These quotes from the September 1995 issue of WASHINGTON REPORT ON MIDDLE EAST AFFAIRS -- with pictures of past and present Saudi Kings adorning the top page of the extensive cover featuring the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: "THE YEAR 1995 WILL GO DOWN IN MIDDLE EAST HISTORY AS THE YEAR THAT SAUDI ARABIA GOT ITS SECOND WIND..." "...SAUDI ARABIA'S REMARKABLE NEW CABINET." "...THE SAUDI ECONOMIC RECOVERY IS VERY GOOD NEWS FOR THE UNITED STATES." Plus a gushing book review by former U.S. government official and Washington Report Editor Richard Curtiss of "DESSERT WARRIOR" By HRH (that's "His Royal Highness" if anyone is wondering) GENERAL KHALED BIN SULTAN. ------------ In the old colonial bastion, England, the wealthy Arab establishment has its exclusive, lavish dining clubs; its extensive lists of readily available women; a variety of political and journalistic hacks to do its bidding; and the publication MIDDLE EAST INTERNATIONAL to try to twist things their way among academics and intellectuals. In the new superpower, America, the same fat-cat Arab establishment -- increasingly self-centered, increasingly parasitic, and increasingly despicable -- led by a group of Saudi businessmen along with members of the Royal family, and working in tandem with old-line State Department Arabists at the American Educational Trust (AET), also has their publication, this one seductively known as WASHINGTON REPORT ON MIDDLE EAST AFFAIRS. Many publications accept features of paid advertising from governments, and sometimes corporations -- identifying them as such. But there's no need for the Saudis to purchase a paid advertising section, and to so label it, when it comes to the WASHINGTON REPORT -- for what appears in its pages is practically the very same thing masquerading as journalism and information. If we had a "Lie Of The Year", for the current cover feature WASHINGTON REPORT would definitely be nominated...and would be likely to win! No doubt former Ambassador Andy Killgore (now Publisher of WASHINGTON REPORT) and Dick Curtiss (Executive Editor) have rushed copies to the Gulf to show off to their patrons and benefactors. MER FLASHBACK TO 1997: THE CIA, WASHINGTON, AND THE MIDDLE EAST ROGER TAMRAZ IS HARDLY ALONE MER - Washington - 9/21/97: Certain things don't get publicly published very much in today's Washington; but behind-the-scenes the talking about these matters can be quite substantial. After all there are some rules of the Washington road if you want to ever cover the White House or the Pentagon for the national media; not to mention if you want to be invited to the annual National Press Club dinner! Among these usually unpublished matters are details of the CIA's involvement in such key areas as the Middle East, along with the names of those -- both individuals and institutions -- who work closely with the CIA and/or are agents of "the Agency". The recent notoriety of Lebanese oil-man Roger Tamraz has unusually lifted the CIA veil abit. The popular media hasn't said too much about it, but it seems that for more than 20 years Mr. Tamraz has been a "CIA asset" providing considerable inside information and gossip about many things going on in the Middle East, Eastern Europe and Russia. The CIA tried dutifully to keep this part of Tamraz's dealings secret; but bits and pieces have leaked out. The larger reality is that Washington is in fact seeded with persons thought to be connected to the CIA in one way or another; and whose careers or business interests it seems have been rewarded accordingly. One need not be an actual card-carrying agent entitled to a pension; there are plenty of less direct ways to be "connected" to the Agency in today's Washington; as the case of Mr. Tamraz makes clear. There's the notorious Judith Kipper, now at the Center for Strategic and International Studies after various jaunts and assignments taking her repeatedly to the Middle East since the 1970s. Among other things she is thought to hold the recent record for sleeping with Arab diplomats and officials hoping to squeeze what she could out of them. Kipper is Jewish and there is also much suspicion her connections extend to Mossad, which of course closely cooperates with the CIA, and which has a long history of using woman and sex to get what it wants. As for CSIS, it was once connected to Georgetown University, but more than a decade ago the stink became too prevalent and Georgetown said good bye insisting that its name be taken off the door. Then there's Jim Zogby of the "Arab-American Institute", long suspected, along with others in his family, of having ties of various kinds to the CIA over a long period of time. And indeed, Zogby has a long list of actions and interventions that not so surprisingly conform to what the Americans have wanted said and done over the years. Considerable money has flowed to Zogby and his Institute -- which incidentally is widely despised in many Arab American circles -- in the recent "Peace Process" years. Among so many other similar things, Zogby was quick to publicly applaud the Clinton Administration back in its first months for appointing such "even-handed" officials to deal with the Middle East, including former Israeli lobbyist Martin Indyk, now Assistant Secretary of State for the Middle East! And one should add to the list former government officials Andrew Killgore and Dick Curtiss who in a sense masquerade these days as independent publishers of a monthly publication known as WASHINGTON REPORT ON MIDDLE EAST AFFAIRS while in actuality they are suspected of continuing to work closely at times with both the State Department and the CIA, as well as with a number of key Arab "client regimes", most especially the Saudis who have quietly provided them considerable funds over the years. All this is just the proverbial tip of the iceberg of course. And it should not be very surprising that hard irrefutable "evidence" is quite hard if not impossible to come by -- such things are considered "national security" and very highly classified. In recent years the CIA has even taken to destroying records regarding the Middle East rather than risking their becoming public even many decades later. Even so, over many years the circumstantial evidence in some cases becomes practically overwhelming; and the fact that these matters are openly talked about privately by Washington insiders is as well-known as the affair the new Secretary of State is said to be having with her youngish press spokesman (something else you're not likely to find clearly mentioned in The Washington Post or on the News Hour). Incidentally, the CIA has become very active in recent years in Gaza and the West Bank, and key persons associated with Yasser Arafat's "Authority", including Nabil Shaath and Jabril Rajoub, are known to have close and growing connections with "The Agency". Please forward MER articles to others in their entirety with proper attribution. We welcome your comments and information in the new MER FORUM. MID-EAST REALITIES www.MiddleEast.Org Phone: (202) 362-5266 Fax: (815) 366-0800 Copyright © 2004 Mid-East Realities, All rights reserved

	If you don't get MER, you just don't get it!