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The Arab Lobbies in Washington
(RealClearWorld) Kevin Sullivan interviews Julian Pecquet - Saudi Arabia is running a $9 million a year campaign to kill legislation allowing the families of 9/11 victims to sue the kingdom. The Saudis are also working hard to preempt the inevitable negative media coverage from the pending release of a 2002 preliminary inquiry into the attacks. Since late 2013, Cairo has been working with the Glover Park Group to shake off the pariah status that followed President Mohammed Morsi's overthrow, and lift all remaining restrictions on military and economic aid. The Lebanese want to protect their banking industry from new sanctions on Hizbullah. The UAE has kept a close watch on the Export-Import Bank's reauthorization, which it has relied on extensively to help build its airline industry. Morocco spends $3 million a year on more than a half-dozen lobbying and PR firms to project a friendly image. All of that lobbying is directed at obtaining U.S. approval - or at least acquiescence - for its exploitation of the disputed Western Sahara, a campaign that has been largely successful. Julian Pecquet is a congressional correspondent for Al-Monitor.