State Department releases list of gifts from foreign leaders to Bush

[Cocoa]

Interesting stuff, I wonder if any domestic news organizations will report on this?

http://www.theadvertiser.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5936,10329366%255E1702,00.html

<snip>

According to today's documents, compiled by the State Department's Office of Protocol and published in the Federal Register, the single-most valuable item received in 2003 was a $US95,500 ($136,000) matching set of diamond and sapphire earrings, bracelet and necklace presented to First Lady Laura Bush by Crown Prince Abdullah.

Mr Bush received a mantel clock "elaborately detailed in silver and gold vermeil" and worth $US8500 ($12,100), while the "first family" was listed as the recipient of two Bulgari necklace, ring and earring sets.

Made of pearl and diamonds and diamonds and black onyx - and valued respectively at $US8000 and $US8500 dollars ($11,390 and $12,100) - the sets appear to have been intended for the president's twin daughters, Jenna and Barbara.

All the prince's presents - including two $US1500 ($2135) gold and silver ceremonial daggers for White House chief of staff Andrew Card and national security adviser Condoleezza Rice, a $US3000 (about $4300) horse sculpture presented to Rice deputy, Stephen Hadley, and a $US1500 ivory and gold letter opener offered to Secretary of State Colin Powell - have been turned over the National Archives, according to the documents.

more...

[PaDUer]

1. Send the article to the main media outlets

Wonder what pickles did to receive those items.
Bet they passed the peace/piece pipe around.

[Dover]

2. Yeah, and what did we give the Saudis in return?

Far too much.

[Cocoa]

4. some plane tickets

some very valuable plane tickets at a time they were hard to come by.

[Tight_rope]

5. We gave them 7% of the United States of America.

[fob]

3. $US1500 ivory and gold letter opener offered to Secretary of State Colin P

IVORY? Isn't that a restricted trade item?

[leftchick]

6. yes it is...

how did that get though customs? Oh yeah, different rules for the rich and all... :eyes:

[Pale_Rider]

11. African elephant ivory ...

... is prohibited I believe, Asian elephant and mammoth ivory isn't.

[fob]

13. My quick search shows Asian AND African Elephants on the list.

Mammoth Ivory? Where do you get that? Does that survive intact?

[R Hickey]

7. Crown Prince Abdula -

Now there's a guy I'd could see having a couple of beers with.

[TahitiNut]

8. ???

:puke:

[truthisfreedom]

9. hmm. i think they left out some things.

just a few. some oil? some kickbacks for bush's family businesses? just a few billion dollars here and there, nothing remarkable.

[Lefta Dissenter]

10. Do they include

Saddam's generous gift of his pistol? :shrug:

[htuttle]

12. Did they finally get their database working?

Wasn't it the foreign donors database that was 'write-only'? A couple of weeks ago they said they couldn't export its contents to fulfill an FOIA request since it would 'lead to loss of data'.

Huh. Go figure.