Obama, center, back to camera, greets King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, center, before the official G20 leaders group photo with Britain's Queen Elizabeth II at London's Buckingham Palace, Wednesday, April 1, 2009. Graphic source: AP Photo/John Stillwell/pool
Obama humbling himself; he is almost down on bended knee before the Saudi King. The subservient Obama averts the eyes of the King as he looks at his feet. Fortunately, the King outlawed the kissing of his ring in 2005 or else Obama might have done that as well. Although Obama is clearly a much taller man he is obviously lowering his head below the King's head and eyes. Obama ensured that he was seen as inferior in the presence of the King. With this picture, Americans should grasp our precarious situation in the world and realize that with Obama representing us on the world stage we can expect nothing but maltreatment in the world.
During the heroic generation of the 1930s and 1940s, not that long ago, Americans would bow to no one. They were watched closely during the Olympic Games for any sign of obeisance.
"The American team was also watched closely for their etiquette as they marched passed the reviewing stand. Led by AOC head MacArthur, the Yankee squad continued the American custom of refusing to bow to or salute any foreign monarch." (Cf. Encyclopedia of the modern Olympic movement, John E. Findling, Kimberly D. Pelle).
At :53 Obama bows low before his King; then, at 2:25, the leader of the free world is relegated to the back 2nd row off to the right. The King, the Queen, and the Chinese are all seated in the middle, front row, in the power positions.
The full tape was inadvertently filmed by a Spanish station and has the advantage of being unscripted: it was not featured on American TV or commented about in any appreciable amount.
The "red herring" tape has been analyzed to death on CNN and on the talk shows. Did he bow or not to the Queen of England is the important question of the hour? It does not matter.
Obama bowed to his King who is the protector and defender of the holiest sites of Islam. Bear in mind that an early act of Obama was to support the 2002 Saudi Plan upon assuming office. Obama decides in deference to Saudi wishes.
In one generation Rosa Parks refused to sit at the back of the bus which was a great day for America and for Civil Rights. Americans were offended in 1994 when Bill Clinton came close to a bow when meeting the Emperor of Japan. Clinton did not quite bow, but he inclined his head and shoulders forward, and he pressed his hands together. It lasted no longer than a snapshot. Today, in three months with Obama all of America has been relegated to second-rank status as he visibly humbled himself well below protocol and it should
Obama (L), Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi (C) and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev (R) pictured in the 2nd row behind the Saudi and Chinese representatives and the British host.
be noted that other leading heads of state did not bow to the King at all. The appropriate protocol is to simply extend and then shake hands between men. Obama did not perform as an equal man; he demonstrated that he was the subject of the King.
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