Important. Foreign governments and state-controlled or state-financed entities have paid tens of millions of dollars to dozens of American think tanks in recent years, according to a New York Times investigation. While the think tanks argue that the relationships do not compromise the integrity of their research, foreign officials say the contributions are pivotal in furthering their policy priorities, as many groups produce papers and host forums or briefings that are typically consistent with foreign government interests. Here are examples of the contributors to nine major think tanks in recent years. SEPT. 7, 2014 ASIA/PACIFIC Atlantic Council The think tank has received contributions from more than two dozen countries since 2008, a fact that drew attention in 2013 after former Senator Chuck Hagel, who was then chairman of the council, was nominated to serve as secretary of defense. Foreign government donors have made up between 5 and 20 percent of its annual budget in recent years, according to its president. Amounts not disclosed Azerbaijan China Japan Kazakhstan Singapore South Korea Taiwan Vietnam Brookings Institution The think tank, which has one of the highest profiles in the world, receives about 12 percent of its annual funding from foreign governments. Oil-rich nations such as Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Norway are among its biggest foreign donors. $41 million received Australia EUROPE Belgium Bulgaria Cyprus Czech Republic Center for Global Development The group conducts research into “how policies and actions of the rich and powerful affect poor people in the developing world,“ focusing on topics such as global health policies and how to spend foreign aid money more effectively. But money it takes from Norway has also been used to try to push the United States government to adopt policies that Norway prefers. $17 million received Denmark European Union Estonia Finland France Georgia Germany Hungary Center for Strategic and International Studies The center focuses much of its research on foreign policy and defense issues and has a particularly large number of donors from Asia, including China. It runs programs on topics important to many of those nations, such as trade agreements with the United States, and defense issues, in an era of growing tension between Japan and China. Ireland Latvia Amounts not disclosed Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macedonia Montenegro Netherlands Norway Middle East Institute Established in 1946, the institute takes up hot topics such as the rise and fall of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt. Its stated mission is to “increase knowledge of the Middle East among the citizens of the United States.” But money funding this work comes from some of the same nations it writes about, such as the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Oman. Only limited amounts disclosed Poland Romania Serbia Slovakia Spain Sweden Switzerland Turkey United Kingdom German Marshall Fund of the United States This foundation and think tank was created through a gift of the German government, as a thank you for help the United States provided after World War II. It continues to receive significant donations from European nations. Amounts not disclosed MIDDLE EAST/ NORTH AFRICA Bahrain Kuwait Lebanon Libya Inter-American Dialogue This group, which focuses most of its research on Latin America, has been a strong advocate of free trade agreements negotiated with the United States — and it has received donations from countries like Colombia, which spent several years advocating passage of its own trade deal by Congress. Amounts not disclosed Morocco Oman Qatar Saudi Arabia United Arab Emirates AFRICA Democratic Republic of Congo Stimson Center A think tank that focuses largely on military and other security-related issues, it has taken money from many of the United States’ military allies from around the world — nations that benefit from a strong commitment to military spending here. Amounts not disclosed Gabon AMERICAS Canada Mexico World Resource Institute The group works to identify solutions to environmental problems — such as carbon dioxide emissions from coal-burning power plants in China. Its foreign donors come from all over the world, with the largest amounts from the Netherlands, Norway, Denmark and Germany. $27 million+ received Colombia Guatemala Jamaica Panama Sources: Think tanks; U.S. Department of Justice; government of Norway. Joseph Malochée contributed to data collection. By Brooke Williams, Eric Lipton and Alicia Parlapiano
Posted on: Sun, 21 Sep 2014 02:30:01 +0000
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