This is a German Economic Decision not US Publishing Decision
Reader comment on article: The Heckler's Veto

Submitted by Rick, Aug 22, 2008 04:23

Random House is owned by the German Bertlesmann corporation. Bertlesmann is a huge conglomerate and part of the German corporate establishment. I would guess the Saudis or someone similar told the German govt, they did not want this book to come out and Bertlesmann responded like any good German moneymaker and said yes. Germany makes a great deal of money trading with the Arab world since they long lost the abiity to compete in most western markets due to their high labor and social costs. But they compete very well selling their products to the Arabs, especially all that high end infrastructure. Bertlesmann understood that it was stupid to tick off the golden goose by publishing this book, angering their fellow German corporate and govt oligarchs. IMHO.

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