<nettime> Re: Foreign Policy - U.S. Aid - Two Americans trapped in Egypt.....

[Presidential Exploratory Committee <info@gwbush.com>]

     [orig to <Jim Sorenson <sorenson@infinity.com.eg>>]

Dear Jim, Sandra, the "Fluff," and assorted companies doing petroleum 
business in Egypt,

Your plight gets sadder and sadder. It was at first a mystery to us 
why the American government wasn't helping you out. We, like you, 
would have imagined the purpose of the U.S. embassy in Cairo to be to 
encourage American entrepreneurs such as yourself, to help them along 
in forging their destiny on foreign shores. This, at least, has 
historically been the mission of the U.S. embassies, and a prime aim 
of the U.S. government--to create a buffer against foreign quirks for 
those seek to profit from foreign situations. People such as 
yourselves (not counting the "Fluff") used to be considered the "front 
line" in the battle for U.S. business supremacy--you know, Manifest 
Destiny and all that....

The reason for government apathy in your case must be that people such 
as yourselves are no longer the "front line," no longer considered by 
U.S. business interests (nor, hence, by the U.S. government) to be 
important. Apparently it is only necessary any more to help big 
American multinationals, which are (a) much easier to help, and (b) 
offer lower risk and higher yields.

Let's face it: whether or not we like the idea of American 
entrepreneurs such as yourselves feeling entitled to a slice of Egypt 
(dollop? pat?), it's clear they're on a different scale from the big 
multinationals (such as your petroleum company clients). Those 
companies do not need police protection for their persons and 
property--they build fortresses, they hire small armies of bodyguards, 
etc. We think it likely that the U.S. embassy, devoted as it is to 
helping American business, is just not set up to deal with business on 
a scale smaller than the humongous, not set up for personal safety 
issues and so on. Also, those multinationals are so big and important, 
now, that they're pretty reliable, they're a better "investment." Not 
that your operation is fly-by-night--it's just not as stable as Shell. 
Social Darwinism.

You have businesses that help others exploit Egypt, and this perhaps 
makes the Egyptians angry at you, but your businesses aren't big 
enough for the U.S. government to care about your welfare. This is 
doubly sad, but it does make sense.

>The military
>seems to produce people who still retain, even here, a sense of decency and
>honor.

In the event the U.S. position changes--say, because your big 
petroleum clients ask it to--this will be a useful tidbit for 
planners. Most often when the U.S. overthrows a Third World government 
or applies great pressure to it, it does so by means of the army. 
Please file this under "important."

>Thank you for your careful reading of the web material we have put up and
>the thoughtful comments.

We're happy that our careful reading made you happy. We, however, have 
just realized how sloppy we were. We've since been reading up a bit on 
Egypt, and we just realized that when we wrote 

>People go to Egypt, they enjoy the noted ziggurats, they swim in the Volga, they 
>attend to the hippos lolling about in Lake Mead and think of all the glorious 
>history enmeshed in these things. 

we were in serious error on several counts. The ziggurats of Egypt are 
not so well known as we thought (and are more commonly known as 
Pyramids), and to get to the Volga from there requires quite a long 
jet trip, not worth it just for a swim. As for Lake Mead, it is in the 
U.S. Southwest, and there are no hippos there. To attend to the hippos 
lolling there, you would have to first get to Lake Mead (even further 
than the Volga, but admittedly more pleasant to swim in) and then 
bring in some hippos--an even bigger matter than getting your boat 
through the Suez Canal.

At the risk of making your life even more kafkaesque than it is, we 
must at this point suggest that you take your concerns to someone who 
can do something about them. Short of getting a strong, willful, anti-
capitalist or anti-American leader elected in Egypt, there probably 
isn't much you can do to make the situation change as much as we have 
suggested, U.S.-participation-wise. But perhaps if you write many 
letters to (a) journalists at business reviews, (b) officials in 
agencies, (c) good solid American candidates like Al Gore and George 
W. Bush, etc., something may happen, someone may be able to do 
something for you. Who knows?

Best of luck with the book.

Earnestly,
Roy and Liz

Presidential Exploratory Committee: Your efforts redeemed
http://www.gwbush.com/

You wrote:
>Dear Roy and Liz,
>
>We were very pleased, indeed, to receive your email. I must say, that's more
>attention paid to us regarding out problems here than our government, or
>embassy has managed over the past 5 years.
>
>Thank you for your careful reading of the web material we have put up and
>the thoughtful comments. I hope you have time to read the following three
>pages ^Ö it^Òs going to be somewhat tedious and probably not very well
>balanced, but we have not, till now, had the chance to tell anybody outside
>Egypt the full story.
>
>I will tell you what the key problems are here. There is no law here
>anymore. There is no protection, ultimately, for any U.S. citizen who comes
>here and attempts to "invest" or contribute economically to the country.
>Believe me, there used to be, otherwise I would have never have been able to
>become established here the way I did.
>
>It's been much worse for me than my webpage indicates. For example, my data
>storage and services business that I established here in 1977, was taken
>from me in 1984 by an ex Under Secretary of the Minister of Interior without
>any papers whatsoever. I made the mistake of going to court instead of
>appealing to Sadat and his ministers directly.
>
>I started again from scratch, established the business again, drove the
>Under Secretary out of business in the marketplace by getting all my old
>customers back (God knows why they trusted me again), and sued for damages.
>I won the case with a clear and resounding decision in 1993. I am still in
>court after 13 years and we have not even got to the point where the damages
>against this man can be validated - maybe this year. Now the courts is
>asking me, a foreigner, to provide all my financial records, translated into
>Arabic, from 13 years ago. I have them.
>
>I^Òve had two other successful businesses ^Óstolen^Ô here as well. Both had
>other foreign partners besides me, but in each case the foreign element lost
>the entire investment. The point is that it's this way for everything. So if
>you have something someone wants, they just take it and dare you to gain it
>back by force, or go to court for ever - on their playing field.
>
>For example, much of the land here is exchanged by force: guns and men. You
>attack the property, you drive off the other guards or owners, you put your
>lock on the door, or you build a wall around the property and you put your
>"guard" in it. Then you go to the Council and bribe whoever needs bribing to
>work up the necessary ownership papers while the owner is in court.  If it^Òs
>really an important piece of land you enlist the Governor for his backing to
>finish your papers. Another way (that we are more familiar with) is you
>bring the police to break the door down and then you occupy. You do this
>while the owner is not home and you use any piece of paper with writing on
>it to show the police. The police back you depending on how powerful you are
>or how much you^Òve paid them. If the rightful owner goes to the police
>himself, they will simply tell him to take his lawyer to the courts to start
>^Ó a case^Ô.  We know this can happen anywhere in the world (or third world
>particularly), but if you^Òve grown up in a society based on law and order,
>it^Òs particularly shocking when it happens to you for the first time. Where
>are my rights?
>
>This is not the Egypt I came to in 1974. I'm sorry but it's just not. The
>reason we ended up staying for as long as we did was basically being
>economically trapped. It's very very hard to leave this country, believe me.
>We just found out too late - you have early successes and everything you do
>seems new and wonderful - to you and them. It's so easy to introduce new
>Western technology and the like. But at the end of the day they grind you
>down. They let you build it up and when it's mature, they take it. Very
>simple. Every project that I have started here which has involved local
>partners has failed. Every project that I started that I managed to
>completely control has succeeded. The successes were not enough to give us
>escape velocity.
>
>I take that back ^Ö I^Òve had two partners, or associates really, who have
>been absolutely straight arrow. They are both ex generals. The military
>seems to produce people who still retain, even here, a sense of decency and
>honor.
>
>The largest U.S. Embassy in the world does not have the time to even
>acknowledge our written pleas as it^Òs too busy overseeing the largest U.S.
>A.I.D. program in the world, carrying  out shuttle diplomacy with regard to
>the Middle East Peace Process, and promoting U.S. business interests in
>Egypt. To my knowledge I am the only independent U.S. business interest in
>Egypt ^Ö if not the only, certainly the longest established.
>
>You know about U.S. Aid. It's an entitlement. It's "their money".  What has
>happened to it here, is beyond belief. The joke around  my German friends is
>that the Board of Directors of Daimler - Benz drink a toast to the U.S.
>Government at the end of every board meeting for creating the biggest
>Mercedes Market in the world: Egypt. Camp David made many people rich. I was
>not one of them. However. I am in full support of  America^Òs vital role in
>the peace process  (I^Òve experienced it first hand). But A.I.D. needs a
>complete overhaul.
>
>What has happened to us here over the past 4 years has simply been one
>instance after the other of the complete disregard for our legal, civil and
>human rights. It appears that our government cannot even voice a complaint
>on our behalf to the Egyptian Government when we are beaten up, robbed and
>threatened. They don^Òt answer our letters, and the phone and in person
>conversations we have had with senior embassy officials indicate that they
>feel that we are nuisances who should not be over here getting in trouble
>and wasting their valuable time. It^Òs an attitude! The U.S. government is
>actively encouraging U.S. interests to invest here ^Ö this is so because we
>just all heard the U.S. Ambassador stand up in front of the U.S. Egyptian
>Chamber of Commerce and say so. If that^Òs the case, what can they do for
>those of us who do invest here and then need help? Apparently nothing.
>
>I would not mind so much if someone in the Embassy would just say, hey you^Ò
>ve really had rough time of it here and we wish there was more we could do
>for you, but you see our hands are tied................. But it^Òs like we
>simply don^Òt exist. Nobody has established more foreign oil companies
>(mainly American) in Egypt than I have, by a large factor, I might add.
>Trapetco was responsible for drilling the first explorations well (a new
>discovery) for what is now the forth largest oil company in Egypt. A few
>problems and I^Òm history.
>
>The U.S. State Department, in my opinion, should do two things:
>
>Endeavor to tell every potential American investor what they really honestly
>know about legal and business conditions in the country ^Ö  the truth. I
>know, we^Òre talking about diplomats!
>
>Make one of the conditions upon which they will encourage U.S. Investment to
>come into a country, that the country set up some kind of ^Ófast track^Ô legal
>channel down which a company can go immediately when it runs into it^Òs first
>legal dispute.  In this country, the simplest case  will take more than 5
>years, and we know of many 30 year plus cases.
>
>I hope that when George is elected, he will see to the above two items while
>he carries out a complete revamping of State and U.S. Foreign A.I.D. policy.
>I must tell you now that the best way I ever saw foreign AID work here were
>the programs of Catholic Relief Services. They were mostly funded by Church
>donations, but had a number of USAID funded programs as well. Their admin
>overhead was 5% - period. No fancy cars, just grassroots level programs for
>the farmers so they could become more financially independent and more
>productive. They worked right down at the level where the help was needed.
>No middlemen or fancy offices.
>
>Our main problem here is that people want (wanted) what we have and we have
>no way to defend it. That^Òs evident by what has happened to us with the
>police. Corrupt to the core. The second line of defense, the courts, is
>practically as weak. Sandra has had over 25 lawyers in 5 years (maybe more,
>I lost count). She retains a lawyer. He works ok for maybe the first one or
>two court sessions. The family that she is fighting finds out who her lawyer
>is. He is pressured or outright bribed to turn against her. He uses her
>power of attorney against her till she finds out and cancels it. We assess
>the damage and look for another lawyer. In fact her victory to retain her
>apartment in her name was won by her, without a lawyer. Just by pure
>persistence and tenacity. Not reading Arabic, she still managed to represent
>herself in front of the Supreme Court and win. The only thing I will say of
>the Egyptian justice system is that if you can manage to get your case to
>the High Courts, you will get a fair judgement. The judges in this country
>were even allowed independence under Nasser. Getting it there before you die
>of old age is another matter.
>
>What do we really want from all this? To leave basically. I have nothing
>left here except lots of ideas and new projects, none of which I^Òm
>interested in pursuing because of the ultimate futility of it. Sandra is
>holding on to her apartment, boat and ^Óhouse^Ô in Hurghada by the skin of her
>teeth. Her in-laws want it all back even though her Egyptian husband gave it
>to her in his will and she has another percentage by right of inheritance.
>They have blocked us from getting the boat out. It^Òs foreign flag and should
>be allowed to leave at any time. Just as if you stopped here with your boat
>on an around the world cruise.  We want to get the boat out. We have
>retained possession of her house in Hurghada (by fighting and legal means)
>and she wants to register it properly and sell it. That^Òs it.
>
>Sandra^Òs rights are backed up by two U.S. Court Orders, which the Egyptian
>Government continues to ignore. Her husband, Dr. Mostafa Karim, was a Ph.D.
>in Petroleum Engineering from U.S.C. (also by coincidence, my alma mater)
>and was a full U.S. citizen before he died. He is buried in Pittsburgh (his
>family did not even bother to bring the body back to Egypt which is the very
>strongest of traditions). He died without a cent in the bank. He had put all
>his money into a hotel resort complex in Hurgahda when (you guessed it) the
>Governor of  Hurghada took two thirds of his land away from him.
>
>What happens here is that if the wife is foreign, tradition dictates that
>she gets nothing and the family gets everything, period. This is
>particularly true in Sandra^Òs case where there were no children. Egyptian
>law, however, gives her full right to her inheritance, but it^Òs not
>enforceable because nobody will back up her court orders, both U.S. and
>local.
>
>I believe why they are fighting this so hard is that Sandra has a 42%
>interest in what is left of Mostafa^Òs land. His family sold it while Sandra
>was in court trying to verify her court orders and there is now a huge
>resort complex being built on it. The land itself is probably worth in the
>neighborhood of $50 million dollars. She has the original green title deed
>for the sale which was done in 1983. But this all means nothing, as with
>that kind of money involved we would have absolutely no chance of recovering
>anything ^Ö even if we lived to be a hundred. We could not get a lawyer to
>last ten minutes on such a case, before one of the opposing interests got to
>him. So why bother ? She does not want the land, only to sell the apartment
>for a very modest sum, export the boat (on which I might add we have only
>spent a total of 5 days on in 4 years) and to register her house in Hurgahda
>so she can sell it. To us these are still major undertakings in this
>environment. We can^Òt do it without the police, who are being paid by the
>family, laying off us.
>
>The reason Mostafa lost it in the first place was because Sandra, Mostafa,
>two Belgians and a German were blown into Libyan waters in the boat while
>they were on their way from Italy to Greece in 1987. The Libyans held Sandra
>the Belgians and the German hostages for three and a half months before they
>were finally released through the Belgian Embassy. Mostafa was held for a
>further year, most of that spent in solitary confinement. By the time he
>returned to Egypt to complete his hotel resort project, the Governor had
>made moves to confiscate it. He sued, but died in the middle of the lawsuit
>and his family cancelled the suit after making a deal with the Governor.
>Sandra is, by the way, the only American Libyan hostage. Now that it is
>possible for an American to sue a foreign government (after the Rein
>decision concerning Locherbie opened the door for American citizens to sue
>foreign governments who have been classified by the U.S. Government as
>nations that support terrorism) Sandra is proceeding against Libya. Another
>story.
>
>I don^Òt wish to beat the Government over the head with its destruction of my
>business. Even though the Ministry of Petroleum, which must now be the
>biggest Mafia in Egypt, deserves to be called to account for the manner in
>which they destroyed it. I had 95% of the Egyptian market at the time.
>Practically all my contracts went to my only competitor who was not even in
>this business till three years ago. Of course he is very close to the
>Exploration Department at the Petroleum Authority ^Ö and we don^Òt give
>backshish!
>
>What is the point. I do not wish to resurrect my oil service business for
>the third time running. I will air all this anyway in the book I intend to
>write after we^Òve left and taken with us anything we can carry.
>
>I took my business chances here and some of it, was of course, worth it. I
>could tell you also about all the good and worthwhile things about Egypt. It
>has good weather, lots of opportunities for exploring and desert travel,
>great diving, and people who are basically friendly, cheerful and for the
>most part well meaning. My kids grew up here for the most part and they were
>as healthy here as they could have been anywhere. They both speak Arabic.
>They are both very well traveled, internationally educated and extremely
>tolerant of all foreigners and foreign cultures.  Now they are both making
>careers in the U.S. and I hope they stay there. They have not had to put up
>with what I^Òve had to though.
>
>What we are trying to get across to anybody who will listen, is what I said
>in my last letter to the Ambassador: just help us by telling the Egyptian
>Government that we (the U.S.) do not approve of our citizens being treated
>by the police and other authorities in this manner, and please give them the
>freedom and the space to finalize their problems in Egypt through the courts
>or by other legal means without fear of police harassment, personal threats
>or the like. This, is of course, a bit on the naive side. Somebody with
>sufficient power and authority in the U.S. government needs to tell someone
>in the Egyptian government who can actually do something, ^Óplease help solve
>their problem before it gets completely out of hand and creates an avalanche
>of negative publicity and causes significant damage to the country and its
>economy^Ô. We have serious investment, tourist and security issues here.
>
>There are over half a million Egyptians living in America, either as full
>U.S. citizens or as Green Card holders. They live there and are protected
>under the laws of the U.S. and its Bill of Rights and, and are treated like
>real U.S. citizens..
>
>We, in turn, are always treated as ^Óforeigners^Ô here, even after 25 years.
>Superficially the Egyptians are friendly, and outgoing and love America and
>Americans. Believe me there is another reality altogether. I have a very
>great appreciation now of what it feels like to be persecuted as a minority.
>Give me the good ol^Ò U.S. anytime.
>
>Our last recourse. The press. It^Òs very easy to talk to the press and tell
>them the whole story. It also might be very hard  to reverse the process if
>the whole thing gets out of hand. We are ready though, and have a good
>number of possibilities along those lines if it comes to that. Not my idea
>of the way to leave Egypt, but Sandra has suffered incredibly here, and how
>they have treated her, particularly, is simply and utterly inexcusable by
>any standard of decency. I don^\xd2t much mind being beaten up if I can get my
>licks in, which I did, by the way. But they took away everything she had,
>right in front of her, right in front of the authorities, and nothing was
>ever said or done about it. And this was done at a time when she had been
>recently widowed, was alone, and had little or no money. Pretty hard to
>swallow.
>
>We realize that we are probably going to have to solve our problems here
>ourselves and we^\xd2ll do our best. Just having received a response from
>thoughtful people like yourselves is most encouraging and heart warming, and
>gives us hope and encouragement.
>
>Heard enough?  I thought so.  Thanks so much for listening.
>
>I^\xd2ll reply and make comments on your very very thoughtful and perceptive
>email separately, if you don^\xd2t mind.
>
>At a press conference in Geneva after the two around the world balloonists
>landed they commented that ^\xd3it was easier to go around the world in a
>balloon than to leave Egypt^\xd4.
>
>Jim & Sandra & ^\xd3The Fluff^\xd4
>
>P.S. If you would like to see more about the boat, go to
>www.cairo-egypt.com/boatpics.html
>The boat has an incredibly rich history and we want to move it to Europe as
>soon as we possibly can. It^\xd2s the one thing that nobody here disputes the
>ownership of. They are just using typical blocking tactics. We offered it to
>the Imperial War Museum in London and they wanted it but did not have the
>space at the time. Perhaps we could get it to the U.S. with some help.
>
>
>
>
>>Dear Jim, Sandra, the "Fluff," and assorted companies doing petroleum 
>>business in Egypt,
>>
>>Thank you for your letter about your very serious difficulties over 
>>there in Egypt.
>>
>>Let us back up for a moment, and start right at the beginning. As you 
>>suggest, a foreign policy is an essential component of any government. A 
>>government, in dealing with the world, must have principles and 
>>guidelines, and must take more than a few things into consideration. All 
>>in all, embassies, consulates, governmental and quasi-governmental 
>>foreign policy institutes, and so on must be extensive, entrenched, and 
>>exceedingly well developed. All of these must attend to issues 
>>relentlessly and carefully, and weigh them with rigor. Only after 
>>weighing these things can decisions be reached.
>>
>>All of this, of course, sets the stage for the question: what should a 
>>hypothetical government's foreign policy be? To narrow this issue to the 
>>matter at hand, let us assume a government which in some manner 
>>represents people--a democracy. Let us also assume the existence of a 
>>wide, unruly world (e.g. Serbia, Iraq, Somalia, Guatemala--or Egypt). 
>>What should the democracy's policy be, towards that unruly world (e.g. 
>>Egypt)? How should it take that world (e.g. Egypt) into account, and 
>>deal with it? How, moreover, should it encourage others to deal with it?
>>
>>Now upon this basis, we can address your particular situation in greater 
>>detail. Egypt--or, more precisely, the "development" and 
>>"intensification" of petroleum-oriented efforts within Egypt, which you 
>>are earnestly engaged in promoting, as a member of America's "front-
>>line" elite units of investors, developers, and promoters--has a very 
>>important place within any respectable, democratic government's foreign 
>>policy. What should be its place within ours?
>>
>>To answer this question is no simple matter! But if we are to attempt it 
>>at all, we must begin at the beginning. Since we are speaking of a 
>>DEMOCRATIC government, we should begin with the DEMOS, the people. We 
>>can assume, over here and over there, people, great masses of people. 
>>Most of these people, of course, simply want to get on with their lives 
>>and be prosperous in one way or another, to one degree or another--not 
>>necessarily as much as possible, but certainly as much as necessary.
>>
>>In the matter of this element, people, there is clearly nothing of 
>>interest to say. People go to Egypt, they enjoy the noted ziggurats, 
>>they swim in the Volga, they attend to the hippos lolling about in Lake 
>>Mead and think of all the glorious history enmeshed in these things. The 
>>Egyptians are "OK" with this. People go and look, and pay money to look. 
>>Egyptians take that money, and are happy to show the people around, in 
>>exchange. They may even find some enjoyment in displaying their national 
>>"heritage," all the biers and daises and so on for which they are 
>>famous. All of this, of course, you know from your business that, among 
>>other things, provides special "tours" tailored to oil executives 
>>(http://www.cairo-egypt.com/kline.html).
>>
>>But over here and over there, too, another element: corporations, and 
>>"corporate money." There is petroleum, there is digging and prospecting 
>>and discovering and so on. What, with "corporate money" thrown into the 
>>equation, is to be a U.S.A. foreign policy towards that great unruly 
>>Egypt? For the U.S. is a democracy, with the DEMOS at its core, and 
>>corporations, as we all know, are people too, according to U.S. law. We 
>>must pay attention to issues surrounding this money, and manage them 
>>well.
>>
>>It does sound like you are having a simply horrendous time there in your 
>>adopted "homeland," and it is clear that money plays some part in this. 
>>You have established companies devoted to helping "corporate money" 
>>establish a "foothold" in Egypt--more than one, it would seem--and you 
>>have yachts, or at least boats, that, for example, you wish to tow 
>>through the Suez Canal. At http://www.cairo-egypt.com/index02.html we 
>>obtain a vital clue:
>>
>>       If you would like to market to the oil industry in Egypt, you 
>>       will have all the information you need to get your company's 
>>       brochure, price list or proposal directly to the key decision 
>>       makers in the departments where the orders are generated. Or 
>>       find the right agent or representative to help you establish 
>>       a dynamic commercial presence in Egypt. Are you an 
>>       independent contractor who is interested in advertising 
>>       yourself and your expertise to the market here? Take a 
>>       listing! Check our rates and advertising page for details 
>>       about ads and listings in the Egypt Petroleum Directory.
>>
>>Now the various practices this implies would of course be impossible in 
>>the U.S.A. Egyptians, however, are used to it. This is both a "plus" 
>>(obvious) and a "minus" (less obvious). For while most people of the 
>>U.S.A. do not understand big corporate money--it does not affect their 
>>day-to-day lives, and "directly to the key decision makers" does not 
>>mean much to most Americans, in this context--most people of Egypt DO 
>>understand big corporate money, because it does affect their day-to-day 
>>lives, at every level, and they know exactly what "directly to the key 
>>decision makers" means. They see American money affecting all kinds of 
>>decisions concerning their country and lives (via the "decision 
>>makers"), and many of these decisions are perhaps of questionable value 
>>for them and their livelihood, especially since access to the "decision 
>>makers" can so easily be bought. They wonder, day to day, how it is that 
>>their wealth is so small and that of others, not even Egyptians, grows 
>>in leaps and bounds, using their land. (We are speaking, of course, only 
>>of Egyptians' perception of these things, not of the things themselves. 
>>We can call this "Third-World syndrome," if we wish. It involves an 
>>overdeveloped understanding of big corporate money, among other things.)
>>
>>You too, it would seem, understand big corporate money. It has affected 
>>you adversely. The people of Egypt, reacting badly to big corporate 
>>money, have treated you badly, apparently mistaking you for big 
>>corporate money and wishing to "react" or "oppose." Perhaps they think 
>>that because you help petroleum companies get a foothold in Egypt, that 
>>you are "in cahoots" with them. Perhaps the people of Egypt think you 
>>are in the "Exploration Scene," which you detail with maps at 
>>http://www.cairo-egypt.com/egypt.html. Or perhaps they think you are "in 
>>cahoots" because, using access to "key decision makers,"
>>
>>       Jim Sorenson... has been personally instrumental in 
>>      establishing five foreign exploration companies in Egypt 
>>      under production sharing agreements. He has also set up 
>>      a number of service companies - for Trapetco and other 
>>      foreign interests. 
>>
>>Or perhaps they are suspicious because you advertise that K-line Ltd. 
>>(one of your companies, mentioned above)
>>
>>       can provide quality representation in Egypt for companies 
>>       wishing to do feasibility studies, establish offices, 
>>       finalize agreements, or manage projects. We are particularly 
>>       experienced at setting up petroleum exploration companies and 
>>       providing the technical and administrative expertise required 
>>       to carry operations through to production.
>>
>>Perhaps the people of Egypt mistake "administrative expertise" for less 
>>savory-sounding schemes that U.S. companies have been known for in Third 
>>World countries. Or perhaps it is that Trapetco S.A. (another of your 
>>companies) "has become involved in a number of oil related ventures, 
>>representationships and pioneering investment projects in Egypt" since 
>>1977.
>>
>>Whatever the ultimate cause of your problems--whether it be your 
>>"representationships" or just the Egyptians' reaction to them--we 
>>suggest you have hope. It is not far from this point when, under certain 
>>specific circumstances, the U.S.A. will step in. All you need to do is 
>>assure the U.S. government, which ultimately controls the U.S. armed 
>>forces and other tools for encouraging cooperation with American 
>>business, that your situation is typical of many who wish to tow boats 
>>through the Suez Canal, or earn lots of money in Egypt by extensive use 
>>of the Egyptian landscape and physical heritage, via 
>>"representationships." You must show that many others are, like you, 
>>mistaken for big corporate money. It might help if big corporate money 
>>decides to use you and others like you to explain its difficult position 
>>in Egypt, to the American people. Perhaps you should speak to some of 
>>your client companies regarding these matters. If you can get a lot of 
>>backing and documentation of the sorts outlined in this paragraph, we 
>>can assure you that George W. Bush, Al Gore, and others will have to do 
>>a great deal--a very great deal--to help you.
>>
>>Finally, on behalf of America, thank you foremost for your tenacity, for 
>>insisting on remaining on Egypt, which has been very good to you in many 
>>ways despite the beatings-up, robberies, and so on that you report at 
>>http://www.cairo-egypt.com/trouble.html in words that make us shudder. 
>>You are on the front line! You are there with the best of the American 
>>soldiers, those fighting in various countries, maintaining the American 
>>foothold where it has been established at such huge cost for so long! 
>>Much as the U.S. government told factory workers to remain at their 
>>posts in the event of atomic attack, we send you great big "THANKS" for 
>>remaining at your post through these fiendish assaults on American 
>>values, as represented by you and your ADORABLE "Fluff." May you, your 
>>companies, and of course the "Fluff" continue to profit well and 
>>healthily, despite these several setbacks you describe.
>>
>>As Dan Quayle said, we must decide whether to look ahead to the future, 
>>or past to the back. Only when we know this, and when we know many other 
>>things concerning our government, will sane and wholesome foreign policy 
>>be able to coexist with the engines of commerce and power.
>>
>>Earnestly,
>>Roy and Liz
>>
>>Presidential Explorations and Maneuvers: Your efforts redeemed
>>http://www.gwbush.com/
>>
>>You wrote:
>>>Dear Governor Bush,
>>>
>>>We wish you all the best in your upcoming campaign.
>>>
>>>If and when we get out of Egypt, we will support your
>>>run for the Presidency with our votes and our hearts. It
>>>certainly is time for a change!
>>>
>>>In the meantime, we would very much appreciate if you, or
>>>one of your staff, could take the time to read about our
>>>plight in Egypt at:
>>>
>>>
>>>www.cairo-egypt.com/trouble.html
>>>(a private webpage)
>>>
>>>We have given so much over the years to Egypt-U.S. relations
>>>and to Egypt-U.S. commerce, and sadly, both governments appear to
>>>have entirely forsaken us.
>>>
>>>We'll still be here after the next election, and maybe your
>>>new government can help us, and those like us overseas, then.
>>>
>>>Best of luck.
>>>
>>>Jim Sorenson and Sandra Simpson (Mr. & Mrs)
>>>sorenson@cairo-egypt.com
>>>Our senators who know the whole story:
>>>
>>>Arlen Specter (R) Pennsylvania
>>>Rick Santorum (R) Pennsylvania
>>>
>>>P.S. Our main webpage which is not private is located
>>>at www.cairo-egypt.comom

---
#  distributed via nettime-l : no commercial use without permission
#  <nettime> is a closed moderated mailinglist for net criticism,
#  collaborative text filtering and cultural politics of the nets
#  more info: majordomo@desk.nl and "info nettime-l" in the msg body
#  URL: http://www.desk.nl/~nettime/  contact: nettime-owner@desk.nl