by Frank James
I’m sure many others had the same thought I had when I saw this video from President Bush’s visit to Saudi Arabia. “Our president went to Saudi and all we got was this sword-dancing video.”
Not that we don’t like the video. It’s quite something to see the president, arm in arm with Prince Salman, swaying back and forth with a sword over his shoulder, looking very self-conscious. You can just see the president’s thought balloon. “Can’t wait till this is over.” The Secret Service probably had the same thought balloon.
When a president meets another head of state like this, usually the two give each other “deliverables,” as a way of showing the domestic audiences on each side that both nation’s gained something, that the relationship is truly symbiotic.
The president went to Riyadh bearing a military equipment deal worth $20 billion. He asked the Saudi king to have his nation produce more oil to lower global prices and perhaps help the U.S. avoid recession. The Saudis politely said no.
But they did give the president a sword-dance ceremony. And why not dance when oil is around $100 a barrel?
Actually, the Saudis probably gave the U.S. more than that. The video by itself was probably a good piece of psychological warfare against Osama bin Laden, the world’s most-wanted Saudi. It probably ruined his day and that’s worth something, isn’t it?
Saudi Arabia, of course, is a key ally in the fight against al Qaeda as well as in stabilizing Iraq. It can exert an influence on the Middle East peace process through its great wealth and role as protector of the two holiest mosques in Islam.
It’s a countervailing power to the Iranians in the region.
It also has influence in Pakistan, having supported the madrassahs, or religious schools in that nation. So just maintaining the special relationship with Saudi Arabia probably a deliverable of a sort.
Cheaper oil at this moment in history would have been really good too, however. That would’ve really been something to dance about, if not for the Saudis, then for us Americans.
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Correction: An earlier version of this posting said Bush was with Saudi King Abullah at the welcoming ceremony. He actually was with Prince Salman, the king’s brother.