I'm still freaked out about Bush and that Saudi prince holding hands

[billbuckhead]

What does this really mean? It sure looks sexual in some way, but why should it be? Maybe it's not about doing each other, but doing us. Are they laughing about screwing the rest of the world?
:argh:

[Maple]

1. Hard to break through

your early brainwashing is it?

[CJCRANE]

2. Has anyone ever posted this a freerepublic

or the one of them kissing?

[Pool Hall Ace]

14. I believe it was posted at FR

and dismissed as "he's just showing respect for the culture" -type thing. Of course, that is not at all what they would have been saying if a Democratic President were involved.

Has any other U.S. President been photographed holding hands with Saudi royalty (particularly here and not there) ?

[CJCRANE]

19. Just seems to be a disconnect

seeing as the 9/11 hijackers were from Saudi Arabia. Not to mention that their version of Islam was the inspiration for the Taliban.

on edit: i.e. the disconnect is that Bush pushes the invasion of Iraq which had nothing to do with 9/11 but then kisses up to the country whose citizens carried it out. Don't the freepers ever figure that something doesn't add up?

[Pool Hall Ace]

20. Well, Freepers and logic never have gone together.

Of course I'm basing that on the little bit of time I have spent over there.

And anyone who has ever brought that up has probably been tombstoned immediately.

[johannes1984]

3. bush doing something to help public opinion

not american public opinion , no that would be too darn liberal .He's appealing to SA opinion .By holding the hand of the big wig , he supports him , not the other way around .See in SA if you hold one of the powers that are's hands you are a close aide , not equal or ally .if they were ally's which is what they are , they would meet in an equal setting .

So the prince is proving to his own ladies and gents(although mostly gents) that he's not bush's bitch , but bush's his bitch ...

[JerseygirlCT]

4. It's quite common

in much of the middle east to see two men walking along, arm in arm or hand in hand. It doesn't seem to carry any of the sexual weight it does here.

This in spite of a quite horrendous homophobic attitude in places like Saudi. You wouldn't see a man and a woman doing this, but no one thinks twice about two men.

[eShirl]

5. To me it's weird in a way similar to

seeing *W eating croissant and speaking French would be weird.

[bullimiami]

6. just be glad noone got pictures of them snuggling.

naked.

[flordehinojos]

7. does anyone remember LEO BUSCAGLIA ...?

I forget in which one of his books it was he wrote that men holding hands in the EASTERN culture was pretty much a normal, everyday kind of thing.

NOW AS FAR AS THE BUSH BOY GOES ...... ???????????? who knows what evil truth lurks behind his holding hands with the saudi prince.

[smirkymonkey]

8. I am more concerned about their intimacy on a political level

than on a sexual level. We are in bed with the enemy figuratively, and possibly literally.

[K-W]

9. It is a cultural thing. Dont let your imagination get away from ya.

Among Arab men hand holding is a sign of friendship.

[Swamp Rat]

10. Come on! ... We've known about Dumbya's sexual preference for a long time!

:D

[OnionPatch]

11. Yes, like K-W said

I lived in the middle east for a year and hugging, hand-holding and cheek kisses are the custom among the men. The American guys I was with found it a little awkward but by the end of the year they were hugging with the best of them, hee hee. Bush is actually being polite here although the photo is a bit disturbing considering all the other factors.

[billbuckhead]

12. This misadministration is so bizarre in it's relationship to homosexuality

Is it secretly pro gay? Not that there would be anything wrong with being progay.

[kittenpants]

15. yeah, but since when has Bush been culturally sensitive?

that's what's so weird about it. He just tries so hard to be macho & seems so homophobic that I can't help but laugh immaturely that he's willing to hold hands with the Saudi prince. Does he kiss Chirac when he greets him? I don't think I've ever seen that.

[PsN2Wind]

13. Girlie-men

N/T

[mitchum]

16. Yes, but it's hard to perform fellatio and walk at the same time

meanwhile, back at the ranch...

[Bluebear]

17. "Their lips gently parted as they lovingly drew closer. Closer. Closer."

[wiggs]

18. I'm still freaked out that Bandar Bush was shown secret Iraq war plan. nt