I often wonder how Bush justifies his reflexive obedience to the will of the Saudis. My new theory, after reading this is that it might be a good thing. After just a few more years of Wal Mart helping the masses send all America's jobs--and money--to China, we will have to be even more accomodating to China than Bush currently is to the Saudis. We don't want it to be too much of a shock, now do we? [Cue new national anthem, Pets by Porno for Pyros.]
Even by those standards, though, Bush's praise for a recent "anti-terrorism" conference help by the Saudis is stunning:
President Bush earlier this month dispatched top White House official Frances Fragos Townsend to head an official U.S. delegation attending an "anti-terrorism" conference in Saudi Arabia -- a conference that aired vile anti-Semitic and anti-Zionist canards. Saudi Cleric Aed Al-Qarni noted at the conference that "The first to kill and use terrorism in the world were the Jews," according to a translation by the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI); the cleric went on to describe September 11th as "an American terror attack."According to White House press secretary Scott McClellan, President Bush spoke with Saudi Crown Prince Abdallah on February 14th and "complimented the Crown Prince on last week's successful counter-terrorism conference in Saudi Arabia."
In addition to the American delegation led by Townsend, who serves as President Bush's Homeland Security Advisor with the rank of Assistant to the President, the conference included participation from nations including Iran, Syria and Sudan -- all state sponsors of terrorism, according to the Department of State. Senator Frank Lautenberg (NJ) first warned President Bush to avoid the conference in a February 4th letter to Bush.
Throughout and surrounding the conference, various Saudi clerics noted that "Jews and the Christians are Allah's enemies," and that Jihad -- including attacks by insurgents in Iraq -- is appropriate. In a poem read before Saudi Defense Minister Prince Sultan, it was noted that Osama bin Laden "was sent by the Jews."
Isn't it great to know that a president who thinks the Kyoto Treaty and the World Court aren't appropriate fora for US participation agreed to participate in an event like this? Once again: What if Clinton had done it?
Posted by jay at February 22, 2005 12:01 PM | TrackBackJay, first, I want you to know that I laughed OUT LOUD just reading the headline you wrote.
Okay, now. I for one am fucking sick of the US climbing in to bed with the Saudis. They're oppressive, racist, and unapologetic about it. We're not going to see this change, though, not while the Bush dynasty remains in power. The ties between the Bush family and the house of Saud are fairly well known by now but exposure to the light of day has shown no sign of damaging them.
Never mind that Saudi clerics - under the banner of a gov't sponsored even - state that practioners of Bush's sacred religion are Allah's enemies, the two families in power are friends. This tie is likely to influence American policy until we either throw the bastards out or break our natioinal addiction to oil.
Posted by: pam on February 22, 2005 11:15 PMJay,
As sad as it is to watch the ongoing and fellatious fawning of the Royal Saudi family by the Bush Administration, they are hardly the only administration (REP or DEM) to assume this position. And I very much doubt they will be the last.
China is a whole lot more worrisome to me for one simple reason - they not only own us but we rely upon their industries for a significant number of our cheap imports. With the EU looking to sell arms to China and our diplomatic responsibilities to Taiwan (although, I imagine Bush would have no compunction in backing away from our commitment there) I have to say that I am not hopeful for a very peaceful or comfortable future for the US-China relations. Our government's arrogance has sold us into indentured slavery.
Unless there is a switch and soon to more domestic production of the goods that Wal-Mart and thier ilk stock and sell to the public we will never be able to effectively address our trade deficit helping to under cut the severity of the national deficit especially with respect to the countries that hold our paper, like China.
While I don't mean to be protectionist (I am not advocating tariffs or other impediments to trade), I do mean to be nationalistic. We need to return to "Made in the USA" as a consumer commitment and a business imperative. When you think that a large percentage of the tchotchkes that were sold and given away at the Presidential Inauguration were imported from China, it's gotta make you wince if not gag. We need to start making shit again and employing people at a wage where they can actually buy it. The dollar is down, let's ride that to higher employment and a reduction of our trade deficit.
Posted by: terry on February 23, 2005 11:50 AMI don't mind being China's bitch as long as I can still get my Nike sneakers for $39.95.
:)
Posted by: T Butts on February 28, 2005 09:02 AM