The Washington Post reported on Saturday that the UAE’s efforts include legal and illegal measures to try to influence the country’s foreign policy in ways that would benefit the UAE. The Post based its reporting on conversations with three people who have read the report. The report found that the UAE worked across multiple administrations to exploit the US government’s vulnerabilities, including its reliance on campaign contributions, its predisposition to lobbying firms and lax enforcement of disclosure laws designed to to prevent foreign interference in US affairs. The National Intelligence Council compiled the report and top US lawmakers have been briefed on it in recent weeks to help inform the country’s policy toward the UAE and the Middle East, according to The Post. US intelligence agencies have previously identified interference in the country’s elections and political system by adversaries such as Russia and China. National security personnel are aware of some of the activities described in the report, but those operations have been able to take place because the federal government has not reformed foreign influence laws or provided more resources to the Justice Department, The Post reported. The UAE has spent more than $150 million on lobbying since 2016 and hundreds of millions more in donations to US universities and think tanks, many of which create papers that support UAE interests. One lawmaker the Post spoke with said the big spending shows how foreign money can affect US democracy. Another example of the UAE’s influence campaign involves the recruitment of three former US intelligence and military officials to help the UAE monitor dissidents, politicians, journalists and US companies. All three officials admitted to providing sophisticated hacking technology to the United Arab Emirates in court last year, The Post reported. NASA Says Moon Rocket Will Launch As Scheduled Despite Minor Impact From Hurricane Nicole How The Cyber Agenda Will Change If GOP Takes Over Congress The United Arab Emirates has been the third-largest buyer of U.S. weapons since 2012 and has fought alongside U.S. forces in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria, according to the Post. The Hill has reached out to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence for comment. The Post reported that Yousef Al Otaiba, the UAE ambassador to the US, said he was “proud” of the UAE’s position and influence in the US. He said it is the product of close cooperation and effective diplomacy and reflects shared interests and shared values.
