"Allawi has hired Barbour Griffith & Rogers, a GOP lobbying firm that employs two of Bush's former foreign policy aides: Robert Blackwill served as Bush's envoy to Iraq and helped form Allawi's interim government in 2004, and Philip Zelikow formerly served as counselor to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Blackwill is in charge of the lobbying account, according to documents obtained by CNN. Zelikow, who advises the firm on other issues, told CNN he has never been asked by the firm about Allawi, nor spoken to Allawi himself while advising the firm and knows "nothing about their relationship or discussions" with Allawi. Zelikow said the campaign against al-Maliki does "not involve me directly or indirectly. I don't know about it." Allawi said Sunday he hired the firm "because of the crucial role of the United States" in Iraq. "We are asking this firm to help us to advocate our views -- the views of the nationalistic Iraqis, the nonsectarian Iraqis," he said, adding that he is not directly paying the firm. "This payment is made by an Iraqi person who is a supporter of us, of the INA[Iraqi National Accord], of myself, of our program -- and he has supported this wholeheartedly without any strings attached.""" (thanks Laleh)