Dudes, do you have to do that in front of the cameras?

[elfs]

Seriously, can anyone explain to me why the elected leader of the Land of the Free insists on holding hands like a fucking lovebird with the evil dictator who misrules the country that produced 15 of 19 Sept. 11 hijackers, and is the single biggest exporter and financier of Islamic nutbaggery? Why do they always insist on holding handsies?

(Thanks to Matt Welch via Hit & Run)

Comments

[technoshaman.livejournal.com]

Tells you who's zooming who, ainna? He'll go lob missiles and GI's at Bagdhad, but when the Saudi's show up, he's afraid to offend the guy by not abiding by his customs even though (a) he's on American turf and (b) he (or his press agents) know damn well it makes him look like a flamer.

Not that there's a damn thing wrong with that. Either being a flamer, or making Duh-bya look like one in front of his rabid reactonary constituency.

SOB couldn't be bothered to learn the name of the new second in command of his Joint Chiefs. But he knows to hold hands with this Arab poobah...

I'm beginning to wonder if ... hmm.

Didn't somebody mention something about Skull and Bones members being chosen not because of their brains, but because they're easily led? Somebody start looking for Pinnochio's puppet strings here...

Ummm.... oil?

[kingfox.livejournal.com]

[jenk]

I would think it's because Barbara thwacked manners into him with a sledgehammer as a boy.

Pity should couldn't have thwacked some brains or a spine into him as well....

[acelightning.livejournal.com]

[antonia-tiger.livejournal.com]

The bits and pieces we get reported here in Europe, the Iranians are struggling to balance the religious and the secular. Saudi Arabia, on the other hand, has the religious fanatics in (indirect) power, with little constraint.

So you have a bunch of religious fanatics, rich from oil, most of them the Arabian equivalent of the good ole boys.

Sounds a lot like Texas, doesn't it.

[acelightning.livejournal.com]

[fallenpegasus]

Probably because people from State's cultural liason briefed him to do so.

In the US the "personal space" is a certain so, and you shake hands.

In Latin America, its a lot smaller, and you kiss cheeks.

In Japan, you pretend it's a lot bigger, especially with physical necessity makes it a lot smaller, and you stand back and bow as so.

And in Arabia, you hold hands.


In Latin America and in the Middle East, one will often see cops walking their beats in pairs, holding hands. It means something different there then it does here.

[intrepid-reason.livejournal.com]

Wow, um I am at a loss for words.