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Think Tank Watch

How Broad are the Financial Interests that Define U.S. Middle East Foreign Policy?

At the intellectual heart of U.S. Middle East foreign policy are influential Washington D.C. based think tanks. Their policy papers, congressional education, linkages with domestic interest groups and lobbies propel their ideas of what U.S. policies should be into the Pentagon and Executive branch.

But who and what are behind the think tanks? Who pays their "fellowships" and scholarly work? Who funds studies such as David Wurmser's "Battle Cry of Tyranny: Anti Americanism in Arab Politics"? And is it really research?

While most think tank donor lists are carefully guarded secrets, their concentration is not. A review of non-profit forms filed with the IRS reveals the breadth of their funding base. Some of the smaller, highly focused and influential think tanks receive over 51% of their public support from only three anonymous donors. (See Exhibit #1)

Exhibit #1 Think Tank Funding Concentration Funds Provided by Top 3 Donors

Source (IRS and IRMEP 2003)

Middle East Think Tank: Funding Concentration

U.S. policy is formulated by narrow, not broad interests. (See Exhibit #2)

IRmep fights the influence of concentrated and interested donors. IRmep will not accept individual member contributions of more than $5,000 per donor per fiscal year, giving us the latitude and freedom to research and analyze America's true interests in the Middle East. IRmep policy research fights to be uncompromised, accurate and reliable. With your membership contribution, we'll keep analyzing and informing..

Exhibit #2 Middle East Policy Think Tank Donor Concentration
(Source IRS Filings and IRMEP 2003)

	Brookings	AEI	Hudson	JINSA	WINEP	MEMRI	MEF	IASPS
Period Audited	1996-2000	1997-2000	1996-1999	1996-1999	1996-1999	1997-1999	1997-2000	1996-1999
Public Support	$74,737,222	$68,445,628	$20,481,978	$4,483,999	$12,757,473	$856,525	$6,731,242	$3,707,705

Top Donations	$2,726,942	$2,851,723	$987,366	$365,000	$417,120	$375,000	$403,000	$400,000
	$3,990,625	$2,286,218	$700,000	$205,000	$127,702	$30,000	$113,153	$390,000
	$1,550,000	$1,300,000	$368,750	$60,000	$82,803	$30,000	$92,431	$100,000
	$1,539,917	$1,231,781	$315,000	$50,000	$78,813	$25,000	$60,000	$45,000
	$1,555,600	$1,230,000	$200,000	$45,000		$20,000	$50,000	$15,000
	$1,500,000	$1,050,000	$200,000	$35,000		$18,000	$50,000	$10,000
		$1,041,500	$160,000				$50,000	$5,000
		$629,000	$154,166				$50,000	$5,000
		$614,684	$114,852				$50,000	Misc
		$500,000	$108,000				$48,600
		$450,000	$100,000				$26,000
		$450,000	$100,000				$25,000
		$366,578	Misc				Misc

Total	$12,863,084	$14,001,484	$5,860,695	$760,000	$706,438	$498,000	$1,448,347	$975,846

Top Donor Count	6	13	12	6	4	6	12	8
Funding Concentration	17%	20%	29%	17%	6%	58%	22%	26%
In the Interest Of?	Six donors provide 17% of public support	Nineteen donors provide 17% of public support	Twelve donors provide 29% of public support	Six donors provide 17% of public support	Four donors provide 6% of public support	Six donors provide 47% of public support	Twelve donors provide 22% of public support	Eight donors provide 26% of public support

Top Donor Funds:	3.65%	4.17%	4.82%	8.14%	3.27%	43.78%	5.99%	10.79%
Top Two Donors Fund	8.99%	7.51%	8.24%	12.71%	4.27%	47.28%	7.67%	21.31%
Top Three Donors Fund	11.06%	9.41%	10.04%	14.05%	4.92%	50.79%	9.04%	24.00%

Also See America's Middle East Policy Think Tanks: What Went Wrong?

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