Synopses & Reviews
By a veteran journalist, national security expert, and former state department official, an exposÉ of how other countries employ American lobbyists to influence our foreign policy to their benefit, but often not to ours.
The most effective lobbying is done on Capitol Hill. Agencies of the executive branch normally feel there are limits on what they can do for foreign lobbyists. People on the Hill, by and large, feel less constrained.
Newhouse examines the extent to which members of Congress rely on foreign lobbyists to provide much of their campaign cash and perks. This country’s national security policy and its policies toward many countries are heavily influenced by law firms and PR firms under contract to foreign governments, political factions, corporations, and individuals. The foreign lobbying culture is the best prism through which to observe a feckless, largely dysfunctional congress.
More and more, foreign agents steer national security policy in the wrong direction by promoting instability, shoring up questionable regimes and leaders, disguising or misrepresenting their thuggish activities and the threats they pose to their own people and neighboring states.
Foreign lobbying, Newhouse demonstrates, contributes to the erosion of American credibility and influence in the world, making the world less stable and the United States more insular and vulnerable.
Synopsis
By a veteran journalist and former state dept. official, an expose of how other countries use American lobbyists to influence our foreign policy.