President bows to Saudi King?????

[cocktales]

I am very perplexed about why the U.S. President bowed to the King of Saudi Arabia???

He did NOT bow to Queen Elizabeth; even his wife treated her like a grandmother; but he just shook hands...

However, when meeting the King of Saudi Arabia (see photo) he bowed to him.

I can understand why he did not bow to Queen Elizabeth (because we fought a war not to); but then to prostrate himself before a King is really, really poor etiquette for a head of state to do (I think); cause in Saudi/Arabic logic YOU are saying that I recognize that you are superior to ME in every way, etc....

So, am I being too testy about this?

Was President Obama being sexist to the Queen of England or why did he not treat the Saudi King the same???

Please help me understand this??????

 

[NineOfClubs]

I think it's just part of being "new on the job" and clumsiness.

I don't think he meant to imply that "yes, Your Highness, I'm your subject".

I certainly hope our President didn't think such a thing.

 

[Telstra]

that is stupid.

The president of the US is higher than the king of Saud.
They both should bow to each other.

I can imagine the image of Obama kneel down on the floor and his forehead on the floor bow down to the KING of Thailand now because all Thai people bow down like that to their king.

 

[brenAWESOMEdan]

he was confused by the hat

 

[RationalLunacy]

He was showing the king his Fruit of the Looms.

 

[brenAWESOMEdan]

i would think that the president would go commando.

oh wait, that was the last jackass.

 

[Harke the Boeotarch]

Maybe it's a muslim thing? Obama lived after all a big part of his childhood in a muslim country, so maybe it was an automatic reaction? I don't know anything about muslim etiquette, but maybe younger people bow to older ones? And he did this because he was thought to do so when he was young (even if he's not muslim?).

I'm not sure, but I doubt it. Indonesians don't bow for the Saudis (I hear many other Muslims hate them), especially not if they were raised in Indonesia in the sixties.
And in case you didn't notice it before: nothing Obama ever says or does is unintentional or unpremiditated.

I suspect he's not actually going to achieve anything by behaving in this way. (which is not to say he might not succeed by other political tactics).

 

[Swellegant]

As I understand it, it's simply protocol. It doesn't mean anything except having respect for other people's customs. And, if I remember aright, the King of Saudi Arabia bows to the President when he's in this country...it's a sign of respect from the visiting head of state.

Of course, I could be wrong... I haven't really made a study of Saudi royal protocol. I understood why Mrs. Obama wasn't supposed to pat Queen Elizabeth on the back, but the Saudis are a closed book to me.

What I do understand is that Barack Obama isn't giving the Press anything to kvetch about, so they start nitpicking on royal protocols instead. But so long as he doesn't puke on anybody, he's doing OK by me

 

[brenAWESOMEdan]

At least it wasn't like Mr. Berlusconi shouting after the pic was taken "Mr. Obama! Mr. Obama!" Berlusconi sounded like a girl shouting at Zac Efron

Even the Queen was annoyed


Mmm... I hadn't noticed, but then again, I don't really follow what Obama says or does too closely.

i like to follow all the things he doesn't do that he said he was gonna do but can't now that he actually knows how hard is it is to do them.

 

[fabulouslyghetto]

You'd think after 8 years of Bush Americans would've learned to be more concerned with policies than stupid shit but, lo and behold.

http://imagesource.cnn.com/imagesou...lbar=none&autostart=true&width=480&height=324

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ArI6SEyszEo[/ame]

 

[brenAWESOMEdan]

he should have slapped him, then laughed it off. we need a good old fashioned diplomatic incident

 

[belamy]

That's one DEEP clumsy bow-job. It's simply stupid, totally schmucky. You don't bow like that to a king... ANY king, ANYWHERE in the "civilized" world. If Obama ever enters the throne room in the royal palace of Madrid (he's supposed to in the coming couple of years) I hope he learns better for the occasion.

It's like those who would kiss a woman or girl's hand (you can made the gesture, or at most kiss a married woman's ring, but never actually water her skin with your own slobber): it shows a retarded understanding of etiquette, good for those who imitate what they see in movies, but appalling to see it done by supposedly educated people in 2009. I still can't believe he actually did THAT, and I mean literally: I can't hardly see his head in that pic, let alone his face. And unlike many JUBbers I'm not particularly a fan of his middle-aged big fat ass, so I can't even tell if that's his or not.

 

[Harke the Boeotarch]

Please help me understand this??????

It's difficult to keep upright without a spine.

 

[belamy]

Here's the video of the incident:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSUn_J__MUk

 

[just a guy]

A lot to do about nothing.

I have done business extensively throughout the world. It’s an international custom of good business manors to slightly bow your head while shaking someone’s hand that you have just met when in a foreign country.

Comparing Queen Elizabeth’s greeting to the Saudi King is Apples to Oranges. He already has a strong relationship with the UK Government and the Queen. He was greeted by the Queen through a private entrance signifying a non formal meeting and one offered to only close friends during her rein. Meeting the Saudi King was not an informal meeting.

That said those who are put off by his bowing are missing the point of his international trip. He is telling the rest of the world that the US’s arrogant behavior of dictating and demanding things from other countries is over. He is trying to forge a group or team approach among equals to the problems of the world. Bowing shows the rest of the region that he is in, that he comes to them out of respect not arrogance. That bow will accomplish more than any saber rattling will ever do and past demands have not accomplished.

 

[fabulouslyghetto]

That said those who are put off by his bowing are missing the point of his international trip. He is telling the rest of the world that the US’s arrogant behavior of dictating and demanding things from other countries is over. He is trying to forge a group or team approach among equals to the problems of the world. Bowing shows the rest of the region that he is in, that he comes to them out of respect not arrogance. That bow will accomplish more than any saber rattling will ever do and past demands have not accomplished.

Faux patriots think that being an America means acting like an arrogant fuckwit when greeting foreigners. It's like watching a bunch of gorillas beating on their chests. Wait, that's an insult to gorillas.

 

[belamy]

A lot to do about nothing.

I have done business extensively throughout the world. It’s an international custom of good business manors to slightly bow your head while shaking someone’s hand that you have just met when in a foreign country.

You said it: slight. That bowing is ridiculous, whoever is making it to whomever.
You bow your head, not your body.

 

[Harke the Boeotarch]

Comparing Queen Elizabeth’s greeting to the Saudi King is Apples to Oranges. He already has a strong relationship with the UK Government and the Queen.

So if you are the King of an insanely intolerant religious fundamentalist state that has public executions and discriminates just about everyone the American president bows for you, but if you are the Monarch of a developed wellfare state with religious freedom and LGBT rights that is de facto a democracy he doesn't?

Interesting.

He was greeted by the Queen through a private entrance signifying a non formal meeting and one offered to only close friends during her rein. Meeting the Saudi King was not an informal meeting.

No meeting with the Queen of England is ever informal.

 

[Wajdan]

Come on you guys. He is a very new President and it was his first meeting with Saudi King. It is also a possibility that he didn't want to kiss him on both cheeks (an Arab tradition) so he thought to bow instead. Oh by the way, there is also a chance that he is interested in Saudi money as the economy is going into a big mess with each passing day.

 

[Elwood]

Big Deal!!!!