There is much hue and cry about Barack Obama' first meeting as President with the King of Saudi Arabia. The episode has been described as 'most unbecoming for a president of the United States'. Hear the flow of logic of the misobamists: President Obama bowed to the King of Saudi Arabia and showed himself to be subservient to the King, therefore made all Americans subservient to the King, the head of the muslims of the world , therefore took along along all Americans with him to become citizens of the Greater Saudi Arabia and by implicit logic Associate muslims. Poor Americans I totally sympathise with them.
Yes I can see that they are not enjoying their first week as muslims and already showing a rebellious side of their character. "When you catch the muslim bug you become rebellious". Maybe they were right when many Americans argued that muslims were inherently rebellious and prone to violence. We shall wait to see their upcoming violent streak.
Let's face it, Americans should not engage in self-delusion by thinking of themselves as being the supreme country in the world. It is such a delusion of supremacy howbeit unwarranted that makes Americans put on an air arrogance that George Bush so perfectly exemplified. Obama is changing all that and they are not liking it. Many Americans who are not islamaphobists have lightheartedly explained the "bow" as a pre-emptive ducking in case a shoe or other personal missile was thrown at him. One learns a few key tactical manouvres from predecesors you know!!
Many nations such as Great Britain respect the traditions and culture of other countries and peoples. I remember many years ago when the Queen of England visted Saudi Arabia, she was constrained to wear a drab long gown she was unaccustomed to. Obama showed respect to an older world leader in the same way as he respected the Queen when he met her in London last week. It is a reflection of his international upbringing. Some Obama watchers have gone on to suggest that he now be called President O'Bowman (given due credit to his Irish ancestry from his mother's line) for his ultra civility.
Many critics have compared the depth and the duration of the respective bows to the Queen and the King and have concluded that the bow to the Queen of the closest political ally Great Britain, was not as prolonged and deep as the bow to the King of the closest Oil ally, Saudi Arabia.
The message in this tale of the bows is that Oil is thicker than thin colonial links.
1 comment:
Haha, I like the way you ended it...Oil is thicker than thin colonial links
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