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this united arab emirates is the country with the largest number of ex-employees us Military officers perform paid work for foreign governments, according to a memo provided by the Defense Department to members of Congress.
according to The Office of the Secretary of Defense responded to a query from Senator Elizabeth Warren that there were 450 notifications of retired military officers working for foreign governments from 2012 to 2022. Of those, 12 were rejected, 21 were administratively closed or withdrawn, and 11 are still awaiting State and Defense approval.
The UAE topped the list of 47 countries listed in the report, with more than half of all jobs approved in the UAE, either directly with the country or with contractors working on behalf of the government.
The highest-ranking official working for the UAE in recent years is retired general Jim Mattis, who served as defense secretary to former President Donald Trump. Mattis served as a military adviser to the UAE in 2015 and returned to serve in the United States in 2017, becoming Trump’s Pentagon chief.
Salaries for people working for the UAE are vague. Only 35 retired military officers disclosed their compensation, according to the Defense Department memo.The remaining 185 were listed as “not available” or “not reported”, according to responsible statecraft.
Middle East Eye reached out to the UAE embassy in Washington for a response for this article, but did not hear back by press time.
The UAE is a key U.S. partner in the region, but Abu Dhabi has charted a more independent foreign policy line that has not always aligned with Washington.
Emirati companies have been sanctioned by Washington for helping Iran evade sanctions. The UAE is also moving closer to China militarily.
Previously the Wall Street Journal Report Beijing’s move to build a secretive military base in the United Arab Emirates has rattled the United States.U.S. pause Negotiations with the UAE over the purchase of F-35 fighter jets amid concerns about Beijing’s access to sensitive U.S. technology.
The UAE has also been accused of meddling in U.S. politics.according to Give way Documents reported by U.S. intelligence agencies Washington postThe UAE illegally and legally seeks to influence U.S. foreign policy by leveraging campaign finance contributions and the U.S. lobbying industry.
Other Gulf monarchies feature prominently on the list.
$700,000 Saudi contract
Former NSA Director General Keith Alexander signed a $700,000 Consulting Contract Saudi Arabia Cybersecurity concerns following the 2018 killing of Middle East Eye and Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi. The CIA has concluded that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the killing.
Admiral William Fallon, who served as head of U.S. Central Command from 2007 to 2008, appears on the list as part owner of Global Alliance Consulting, which is expected to receive $23 million from the U.S. government Qatar consultation service.
Also see retired military officers competing. According to the memo, Maj. Gen. Charles J. Dunlap Jr. has eight separate approvals to work for foreign governments, three of which are for the United Arab Emirates as well as Canada, Denmark, Israel and Scotland.
Under U.S. federal law, veterans are prohibited from accepting anything of value from a foreign government that might compromise their oath of allegiance to the United States.
But in 1977, Congress allowed the Pentagon and State Department to issue exemptions to the law. The new memo highlights the booming trade of retirees already serving foreign governments, especially those with authoritarian governments.
The new disclosures could heighten concerns about the extent to which foreign countries can extend their influence over U.S. institutions.
Earlier this year, retired U.S. general John Allen resigned as chairman of the Brookings Institution think tank after news broke that federal authorities believed he had lobbied Qatar illegally.
Billionaire and Trump ally Tom Barrack is currently on trial for illegally lobbying the Trump administration on behalf of the UAE.
Middle East Eye reached out to the U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia for a response to this article, but had not heard back by press time.
Lawmakers across the aisle have taken note.Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren has proposed legislation That would bar prime contractors from hiring senior defense officials or any former employer who performed contract work while in government for four years.
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