The Hill and Knowlton Affair and the Marketization of the First Gulf War. a Polanyian Perspective

The 1990-1991 First Gulf War became a classic manual of PR or manipulation, depends on the terms one chooses. Within the whole manipulative framework, Hill and Knowlton, one of USA’ s foremost advertising brands played a pivotal, ripple-making role. With the money provided by Kuwaiti government in exile, H&K faked several testimonies according to which Saddam’s soldiers had been responsible of appalling deeds by pillaging Kuwaiti hospitals, where they stole incubators and left newborn babies to die. Thus, President Bush gained legitimacy in front of the US Congress and international fora to assemble a coalition of the willing to deal with Iraqi aggression. This article will not only dwell upon the abovementioned episode, but shall also sketch an explanatory framework using Karl Polanyi’s writings.