Lobbyists

Congress just approved $1.5 billion per year in aid to Pakistan. The Afghans think they know why, and think they better use the same methods if they're to have any chance at getting similar assistance from the United States government. In a memo dated April 21, 2009 (available here) from Afghanistan's Washington Embassy to the country's minister of finance, the ambassador explains:

Following on my previous discussions with Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Finance on the importance of operationalizing the US-Afghan Strategic Partnership, I would like to bring to your attention the urgent need for allocation of annual funding to contract a professional lobbying firm to help us achieve our national objectives based on the US-Afghan Strategic Partnership. Our immediate neighbors Pakistan, India, and China are contracting over a dozen prominent lobbyists to represent and look after these countries' national interests. For example, China alone is employing 19 firms, Pakistan 9, and India more than 5 different firms to represent these countries' and their various government institutional interests in Washington.

The memo lays out Pakistani lobbying efforts in detail, stating that "The government of Pakistan and the country's senior officials are employing some nine lobbying firms in the United States to look after and promote their personal and/or national interests in the US policy and law-making processes. This includes two firms that alone represent and promote President Asif Ali Zardari's interests in Washington." These contracts include, $100,000 per month to Locke Lord Strategies-LP (LLS-LLP), $50,000 per month to Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP, $100,000 per month to JWT Asiatic and Hill & Knowlton, and $75,000.00 per month to Burson-Marsteller, BKSH & Associates, Penn Schoen and Berland Associates.

The Afghans conclude that "To translate the existing US support into effective packages of assistance to Afghanistan, we need to give serious consideration to allocating financial resources on an annual basis so that-like Pakistan and India and so many other countries-we are also able to effect pro-Afghanistan policy and legislation in Washington." Of course, Obama promised an end to this type of business when he ran for president and demonized lobbyists, but it seems that foreign governments still see lobbyists as the best path to securing additional resources from the U.S. government.

The question is, how much of the aid money we send to Pakistan is going right into the pockets of American lobbyists as they seek to secure ever greater streams of aid for their foreign clients?