Posted on 04/25/2005 11:24:28 AM PDT by Uncledave
Queen Abdullah maybe?
Arab custom. Men also hold hands in many parts of Asia.
"Is that really Laura behind the hair and padding?"
"Has anyone ever told you that you resemble Vincente Fox?"
What happens in Crawford, stays in Crawford.
Sorry Prince, I forgot to tell you I just finished eating a pulled pork sandwich and didn't wash my hands.
Huh....ya know Laura's in Mexico..Right?
It's also an Arab custom for men to kiss other men in greeting, but I doubt the President would plant one on Abdullah's cheek. .....at least I hope not.
I said pull my finger, not hold ma hand
El Presidente Vincente Fox released the above picture today and warned that, unless stronger action is taken against the right-wing vigilantes on the Arizona-Mexican border, more damaging pictures will be released in the coming weeks.
Forgive my cultural ignorance, but I thought in some Middle-Eastern countries the left hand was also considered the "toilet hand" and therefore touching someone with it was a no-no. Obviously I am misinformed.
Funny!
Funny!
Too late. Now it's on the FreeRepublic.
Lot's of customs that are hard to ID with...
ROFL
"Wasn't me she was foolin' 'cause she knew what she was doin'
When she told me how to walk this way
She told me to
Walk this way
Walk this way
Walk this way
Walk this way
Walk this way
Walk this way
Walk this way
Walk this way
Just gimme a kiss
Like this"
Now if you'll just step into this hole, yep, this one with the sharpened punji sticks at the bottom,....
I know it's custom but it creeps me out. President Bush doesn't look too happy about it either. Why must we always accomodate them? Why don't they accomodate us? After all, we RULE!
Bush: Keep being this friendly, and I'll give you the Norther half of the United States!
Prince: Why just the Northern Half? I am a very good man.
Bush: Because I already gave the SOuthwest to Vicente Fox.
That's correct. My husband spent 6 months in Egypt and that is their custom in the ME. The President is holding the right hand of the Prince.
Abdullah, we're gonna drill ANWR. Any thoughts?
It'll take WHAT for you drop the price of oil?! How 'bout we start by holding hands?
Gad.
But Bush is using HIS left hand to do it! And the man doesn't seem to mind. Oh well.
Thanks for clarifying though.
"Why don't they accomodate us?"
In all fairness, the US will never have a more pro-US government in saudi arabia. many of their people simply do not like us, or despise us. The saudi government, including abdullah, weaken themselves domestically every time they do anything friendly in public with the US. We need them, they need us, and their people hate them as well. Not an enviable situation. No doubt this is part of why we accomodate SA on many public issues.
Some on FR talk about attacking or punishing SA, but that is completely unrealistic unless ones wants to see the house of saud fall, a theocracy take power, and presumably the US start a MAJOR international incident when it moves to secure the saudi fields. The saudi government of today, imperfect as it is, is far better than any of the realistic alternatives.
Many things in Saudi seemed strange to me. However, that would probably be true for me in many countries. For that matter, people North of the Mason Dixon line and those living in the blue states seem strange to me.
It almost looks like the Abdullah is holding Bush's wrist for stability. Maybe he's secretly taking Bush's pulse to see if he's lying when he says: "Abdullah, you're the best!"
Shhh.. don't be introducing any of that realpolitik talk here. Some folks dont take kindly too it :P
D'Oh! Bwhahaha!
Actually it shows how much the Prince respects the President.
Good grief. They look like a couple of pansies. Why would our president do this?
I've seen W and Arab leaders holding hands numerous times.
Bush is a very tactile man, in a nonclintonian way (i.e., appropriately).
sorry i lose myself sometimes, sometimes I cannot keep from responding the obvious failure to understand what options the house of saud domestically has and what the options will be if they are pressured or removed, or a major internal political shift in the monarchy occurs. They will never be more pro-US than they are now, which I assume is much more in private than in public.
Maybe a good analogy of the 15 hijackers being from saudi arabia meaning the saudi government should 'do something' would be our fedgov's position if a dozen gang-bangers from some urban heckhole did something particularly bad in another country. What is fedgov really going to do about the various gangs in all our cities?
To be a gracious and welcoming host. This is normal and customary in many Middle East and Asian countries. I seriously doubt that the President initiated the hand holding, but to refuse when it was would have been rude and childish.
All this shows is a man secure enough in his own view of himself to allow this small gesture of familiarity to a guest.
But President Bush is American. We don't have those traditions. But I guess the Saudi's don't hold each other's hands. That would be interesting. Wonder how they would walk each holding the right hand of the other?
"Why would our president do this?"
Because it is an arab custom and his relationship with that man is one of the more important strategic relationships the US has. apparently his family has ties to house of saud as well.
It fazes me not at all. It's a cultural thing from that part of the world that he probably accomodated to just briefly. Whereas the photo freezes it in time. Which is a distortion of reality. Does that make me a "pansy" sympathizer? Good grief. Will you easily influenced types ever "get a grip"? (Honest, no pun intended...)
What? we are merely exchanging long chains of amino acids, if you know a better way of doing this, please feel free to tell us.
I guess it would look like a squaredance.
At least he's not holding hands with a White House intern.
Right.
"Good grief. They look like a couple of pansies. Why would our president do this?"
apparently nobody here saw the video. The prince faltered as he began climbing a series of steps at the ranch and reached out. The President took his hand to steady him. When they got to the top step the President let go. The MSM will no doubt play this to the hilt.
It's also an Arab custom to wipe your ass with your hand.
Hey, Mr. President!
When you're done with the handholding, tell him his government needs to stop jailing folks for the awful crime of being Christians and praying...
Why is George still being so sweet to these people? They are just people we buy oil from. Of course Americans don't relish (nor pickle , mayonaise or mustard) paying such ridiculous prices for gas and oil. But when dealing with the Saudis, it always seems to involve a whole lotta other crap than just plain business. If I hear one more time how cozy the Prez is with Prince Bandar that they call him Bandar Bush, cause they feel he's almost a member of the family------I'll gag on my baba ghannoush.
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