Thursday, April 23, 2015

Leaked Docs Reveal Morocco's Influence at US Think Tanks


Here is what The Intercept is reporting:
A controversial cache of what appear to be Moroccan diplomatic documents show how the Moroccan government courted [Hillary] Clinton, built a cooperative relationship with the Secretary of State, and orchestrated the use of consultants, think tanks and other “third-party validators” to advance the North African nation’s goals within elite U.S. political circles.
The use of think tanks, business associations, other “third party validators … with unquestionable credibility,” one cable said, relates to the “peculiarity of the American political system.” Think tanks, the cable continued, “have considerable influence” on government officials, especially because so many former officials move in and out of think tank work. Mentioning the State Department as one agency that could be swayed through think tank advocacy, the memo goes on to state, “our work focuses on the most influential think tanks … across the political spectrum.” The memo lists several think tanks such as the Atlantic Council, the Heritage Foundation and the Hudson Institute.

The cable, which can be read here, is written in French.

Fact: Morocco has 33 think tanks according to the 2015 University of Pennsylvania think tank rankings.