As it happens, one of the few foreign companies affected is American International Group, a huge insurer whose boss, Maurice Greenberg, knows how to pull strings in Washington.
The family had to pull strings to get their seven children admitted to an Afrikaans-language Catholic boarding school that was officially designated for so-called "coloreds, " South Africans of mixed race.
He is also facing charges in the prostitution case (and that he tried to pull strings to get her out of jail when she was accused of theft) -- and in a third case stands accused of revealing confidential court information relating to an investigation into a bank scandal in 2005.
If you allow them to pull your strings, then you're defeated and then now they're in charge.
Robert Mugabe stands up and says, look, the former colonial power can't let go, it's trying to pull the strings.
Field-Marshal Hussein Tantawi, head of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, which has continued to pull the strings in Egypt, was named defence minister.
But there is a risk that Mr Mugabe, adept at outwitting political rivals, will still be able to pull many strings and potentially neuter the opposition's role.
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Wales reasserted themselves, with Ramsey starting to pull the strings from midfield, and a Bale free-kick from wide left fizzed across goal but just lacked a final touch.
It was against the run of play, but gave Barcelona a visible injection of confidence and adrenalin, allowing Messi to pull the strings up front and Xavi and Iniesta to take control of midfield.
But realistically, it's going to take a little more time to pull all the strings together, but rest assured that they are being pulled together.
This has the backing of Mediobanca, a Milanese investment bank that used to pull all the strings in corporate Italy, but has seen its star wane since the death of Enrico Cuccia, its nonagenarian boss, two years ago.
The director of the hospital persuaded Fadl to turn himself in, saying that he would pull some strings to protect him.
But analysing Mr Abramovich's evidence, the judge said he had not been able to "pull the presidential strings".
"In English, I finally know which strings to pull, " he says.
Expect Fannie and Freddie to pull all their influential political strings to stop it happening to them.
He may, however, prefer to stay in the background and pull strings.
Many had made money elsewhere and moved to Manhattan to enjoy it, while continuing to draw wealth from outside the city and pull strings in the federal capital.
"The players have returned home, they'll have spoken to their families and young children and it's a tremendous pull on the heart-strings, " said Gooch.
If they cannot afford to study abroad, they get lousy tuition at a Greek university and, unless their family can pull strings, few chances of a good job.
If one cannot afford to study abroad, a Greek university offers poor quality tuition and, unless one's family can pull strings, few opportunities for getting a job afterwards.
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