by Frank James
I'm sure many others had the same thought I had when I saw this video from President Bush's visit to Saudi Arabia. "Our president went to Saudi and all we got was this sword-dancing video."
Not that we don't like the video. It's quite something to see the president, arm in arm with Prince Salman, swaying back and forth with a sword over his shoulder, looking very self-conscious. You can just see the president's thought balloon. "Can't wait till this is over." The Secret Service probably had the same thought balloon.
When a president meets another head of state like this, usually the two give each other "deliverables," as a way of showing the domestic audiences on each side that both nation's gained something, that the relationship is truly symbiotic.
The president went to Riyadh bearing a military equipment deal worth $20 billion. He asked the Saudi king to have his nation produce more oil to lower global prices and perhaps help the U.S. avoid recession.
The Saudis politely said no.
But they did give the president a sword-dance ceremony. And why not dance when oil is around $100 a barrel?
Actually, the Saudis probably gave the U.S. more than that. The video by itself was probably a good piece of psychological warfare against Osama bin Laden, the world's most-wanted Saudi. It probably ruined his day and that's worth something, isn't it?
Saudi Arabia, of course, is a key ally in the fight against al Qaeda as well as in stabilizing Iraq. It can exert an influence on the Middle East peace process through its great wealth and role as protector of the two holiest mosques in Islam.
It's a countervailing power to the Iranians in the region.
It also has influence in Pakistan, having supported the madrassahs, or religious schools in that nation. So just maintaining the special relationship with Saudi Arabia probably a deliverable of a sort.
Cheaper oil at this moment in history would have been really good too, however. That would've really been something to dance about, if not for the Saudis, then for us Americans.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Correction: An earlier version of this posting said Bush was with Saudi King Abullah at the welcoming ceremony. He actually was with Prince Salman, the king's brother.
• 
• 
• 
• 
Comments
Hey..but we sold weapons there..even if it was to a bunch of people who wear "strange clothes".
Posted by: bill r. | January 16, 2008 11:41 AM
Big deal....Gas went up an average of $2.00 during the past 20 years and to try to combat that, food prices are sky rocketing because of Ethanol.
Drill in ANWR!
Paulo
Posted by: Paulo | January 16, 2008 12:00 PM
George Bush, 2000:
"I will use my experience as an oil man to get the Saudis to help with rising oil prices".
George Bush, 2008:
"Awwwwww, come on guys. Pretty please???? With sugar on top?? If you don't do it, I'll hold my breath until my face turns blue!!!"
What a leader!!!
Posted by: BobinATL | January 16, 2008 12:22 PM
food prices are sky rocketing because of Ethanol.
____________________________
That's right, there is only one thing that raises food prices, and that's ethanol. Of course pillow doesn't actually explain how ethanol affects the marketplace. He just spews factoids of truthiness, believing that if he repeats them often enough, someone will agree with him. We know it can't be oil that's affecting the cost of producing, processing, packaging and delivering food. It certainly can't be the profits grocery chains are trying to wring off the backs of their underpaid, under-insured employees. Certainly it can't be the money corporations are paying to insure the health those they do, versus having it taken care of by governmental agencies. And no, it can't be the fact the Fed RAISED interest rates several times recently, making it more expensive for farmers, truckers and grocery stores to do business. Nope it's ethanol, according to one-issue pillow. What a simple little world he lives in. Must be nice to be in lock step with the rest of the goose stepping reich wingers, never fearing that they could ever be possibly wrong.
Posted by: rncbs | January 16, 2008 1:06 PM
Paulo,
According to right wing poster boy journalist John Stossel and Swampster Terry, high prices are a good thing. The increase price of feed corn will cause more farmers to want a piece of the action and plant corn, there will then be a surplus and prices will go back to normal. The free market will fix the prices. Don't you believe in the free market and your right wing talking points?
Posted by: john | January 16, 2008 1:10 PM
"BUSH SPEAKS"
BOY I SURE AM GLAD I'M NOT IN WASHINGTON D.C. TODAY.
I GOT THE CIA TAKING IT ON THE CHIN TODAY FOR ME.
I GOT MY STAFFERS TAKING IT ON THE CHIN TODAY REGARDING MY LOST PRESIDENTIAL ARCHIVES. AN IMPEACHABLE OFFENSE OF COURSE.
I GOT THE GEEK SQUAD OUT JUST IN THE NICK OF TIME.
OH AM I GLAD ME AND CONDI ARE NOT ON CAPITOL HILL TODAY.
THAT BROKE BACK MOUNTAIN OF MINE!
Posted by: Roger Morris | January 16, 2008 1:34 PM
Well, I guess that's what $20 billion in US weapons gets you these days.
Posted by: C.Morris | January 16, 2008 1:44 PM
Paulo,
Try looking at the REAL facts. This is from the Energy Department of California. http://www.energy.ca.gov/gasoline/statistics/gasoline_cpi_adjusted.html
When Bush took office, gasoline in California was $1.36/gallon. It is now over $3.00/gallon. That's over DOUBLE in six years during the reign of your fearless leader and his oil buddies.
ANWR? Okay, let's say we let you folks destroy that part of Alaska. You want to tell me where the oil is going to be refined? Remember, we're already buying gasoline offshore because we don't have the refining capacity. Also you can just ignore the 150, or so, refineries that the petroleum companies have closed over the last 15 years.
Posted by: dogjudge | January 16, 2008 2:16 PM
What an idiot and to think he's been doing this stuff on the US taxpayers dime for the last 7 years.
King Abdullah must have looked into W's soul where upon Abdullah was quoted " I looked into the soul of George W. Bush and saw "Sponge Bob Square Pants".
Posted by: John E | January 16, 2008 2:41 PM
NOW YOU KNOW WHAT OUR PRASIDENT HAS BEEN DOING FOR THE LAST SEVEN YEARS, TAKING SWORD DANCE LESSONS.
HE LOOKS LIKE HE IS QUITE IN HIS ELEMENT AND ON HIM IT LOOKS GOOD.
TO HELL WITH HEALTHCARE, ECONOMY AND ALL OF THE THINGS THE AMERICAN PEOPLE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO STRESS OVER. SWORD DANCING IS WHERE IT'S AT SAYS GEORGIE.
Posted by: john biner | January 16, 2008 3:05 PM
But, of course, it's the republicans who protect us from the terrorists. Oops!!
http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/01/16/former.congressman.indicted.ap/index.html
Posted by: syj | January 16, 2008 3:23 PM
J.R. Ewing is alive and well and will be returning to Texas at the end of this year.
Posted by: JamusP | January 16, 2008 4:15 PM
Well, certainly I'd LOVE to see lower gas prices, if Bush can actually pull this off. I might actually drive my car more than once or twice a week (or maybe not, since so many of the places I want to go are so convenient by walking or on the CTA).
But it confuses me that Bush is trying to negotiate prices. I thought that Republicans hated any kind of control on a free and open market. Doesn't this attempt at interference make him some sort of Communist? Don't high prices get rid of the riff-raff polluting the marketplace, ultimately ensuring its stability overall? Does that mean Bush is attempting to sabotage our capitalistic system and overthrow the economy?
And if he's negotiating prices on oil, doesn't that indicate he's had control of the market all along (which even I have denied, in agreement with the Republicans)? And If he's HAD control of the market all along, why didn't he make use of his powers a few years ago? If, on the other hand, he has NO control (seems more logical to me), what's the real point of THIS adventure?
Posted by: Op109 | January 16, 2008 4:56 PM
You know that sword Bush is carrying will end up embeded deep in the back of the American people.
Posted by: Reality | January 16, 2008 5:22 PM
Secretly obtained video of Terry and Bruce watching Mr. Bush perform the 'sword dance'.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9o1UPz1gyE
Posted by: TheReamer | January 16, 2008 6:11 PM
What GWB didn't know were the lyric track to that song the kids were chanting during the dance.
'No, oh no, no oil for weapons♪
$20 billion in weapons? oh no, no go
No go no go, it ain't about the oil♬
No, oh no, no oil for weapons♬
So ho ho, oh no, just keep on steppins'
Posted by: C.Morris | January 16, 2008 6:16 PM
Impeach Bush to gain confidence in American policy, raising the value of the dollar (meaning less dollars for more oil). WAKE UP AMERICA!
Posted by: WAKEUPAMERICA | January 16, 2008 6:17 PM
More republicrites "keeping America safe for Americans".
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EX_CONGRESSMAN_INDICTED?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2008-01-16-14-42-37
What a joke that party is. Reminds me of the old line when someone asks "Where's the party?" The republitards love that punchline.
Posted by: rncbs | January 16, 2008 6:53 PM
Will there be no end to this pathetic charade? Bush and the Saudis are buddies - this preplanned performance was to take the pressure off Bush and place the blame on the Saudis making Bush look good to the American people. $100 a barrel is probably going into the pockets of Bush, Cheney and their oil buddies as a last ditch effort to bleed the American public before they are out of office. If Bush cared so much about the price of oil, why had he not approached the Saudis before? ANSWER - Oil is making him rich, but a war with Iran would make him richer and fulfill his promises to the military/industrial/oil complex - Bush/Cheney's Holy Trinity.
The sword dance is nothing compared to his and Cheney's stomping on the Constitution and the integrity of the Office of the President. That dance was done before a captive audience - the American people.
Posted by: the truth | January 16, 2008 7:21 PM
It took Mr. Bush almost his entire presidency to embrace diplomacy, but now that he’s in the thick of it, or perhaps the thin of it — given his speed-dating approach to statesmanship — he is kissing and holding hands with kings, princes, emirs, sheiks and presidents all over the Arab world and is trying to persuade them that he is not in a monogamous relationship with the Jews.
His message boiled down to: Iran bad, Israel good, Iraq doing better.
Blessed is the peacemaker who comes bearing a $30 billion package of military aid for Israel and a $20 billion package of Humvees and guided bombs for the Arabs.
--M.Dowd
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/16/opinion/16dowd.html?em&ex=1200632400&en=b6efd2a44e6c5b51&ei=5087%0A
Posted by: dt | January 16, 2008 7:42 PM
Paulo,
The only reason Ethanol is even talked abut is because Iowa is the first in the nation primary state.
This is why we need a national primary day. This would relegate Iowa to it's relative importance.
NH, also.
If we move to ethanol in a big way, we will become a net importer of FOOD.
This is a friendly post, in the nature of a casual exchange.
This is not an attack.
This is not a smear of your character.
This is a simple statement.
Posted by: C.Morris | January 16, 2008 7:43 PM
I'm sure that the Saudi princes gave pResident Doogie Howser a rubber sword, because they couldn't risk him actually hurting himself with a real metal sword and bleeding all over their nice Persian carpets.
Posted by: BC | January 16, 2008 9:00 PM
Imagine what conservatives would say if Jimmy Carter were pictured with a sword just like that. You could almost see the Rush monologue.
Speaking of Rush, how come no mention from him of how "brilliant" Bush is & is showing the Middle East "who's in charge"?
If you can't rely on a conservative to tell you what's going on over there with Bush, you know things aren't going well.
Posted by: RomanB | January 16, 2008 10:57 PM
Can't we all just get along? It is clear from the picture that Bush and the Saudi King are in love. What a "cute" engagement picture! Unfortunately, it is the American People who will have to "bend over" and take it from the Saudi's on Wedding night!
Posted by: Tim | January 17, 2008 10:07 AM
Our President went to Saudi Arabia with $20 Billion of military hardware and all we
got was a video of him and the prince and a stupid sword. At least it wasn't a tee shirt.
Posted by: Roger | January 17, 2008 11:45 AM
Funny
Pathetic or Diplomatic?
http://www.youpolls.com/details.asp?pid=1567
.
Posted by: PaulM | January 17, 2008 12:33 PM
The guy President Bush is dancing with is Prince Salman, governor of Riyadh, the capital city and is reported to be the head of Saudi intelligence. At least if Bush is dancing with other men on tv, its with very powerful people.
Posted by: Vic | January 17, 2008 4:10 PM
Bush's discomfort betrays the yank's superiority complex that he has to put up with these inferior people for the sake of price of oil and his tactical need to fool them to fight each other.
Was it like this when Gorbachev came to meet Reagan in Iceland ?
Was it like this when Bush go to meet Blair or his other anglo-saxon stooge in australia ?
I whish that the video was longer.
I just cant understand Yank's obsessive hatred and fixation with Iran when both saudi and iran are mozlem and iran is more democratic !!!!!!!
can anyone explain me that ?
Both are to be used and discarded = modus operandi of the bush crime family.
Posted by: Dispassionate Analysis | January 18, 2008 2:42 AM
Russian Technology is SUPERIOR to american technology.
SU-31 is better than any F-16/18 etc.
They are wasting their 20 billion on american junk.
Posted by: Vladimir | January 18, 2008 2:50 AM
President Bush is the worst President in the history of the U.S.. The only reason he has close ties with Saudis is because there nation is flooded with oil. I mean water costs more than oil there. Bush went there like a begger and begged Saudis to save America's economy from destruction by begging them for more oil. He's using them for his own good. And thank GOD that he was REJECTED!
Posted by: Ahsan Ali | January 18, 2008 4:53 PM
MR BUSH, YOU LOOK GOOD WITH SWORD. BUT WHAT ABOUT THE ASSYRIANS, CHRISTIANS, WHO ARE SUFFERING IN IRAQ. AND IN SYRIA,LEBANON,
Posted by: RICHARD GABRIEL DINKHA | January 18, 2008 6:51 PM
MR BUSH OR SHRUB. TAKE A BIBLE IN YOUR HAND NOT SWORD.
Posted by: R.G DINKHA | January 18, 2008 7:57 PM
Most of these comments make NO SENSE.
Posted by: Alabama | January 20, 2008 10:38 PM