President Obama: On Bowing to Kings
By Ken Blackwell and Bob Morrison , CP Op-Ed Contributors – January 26, 2015|
t was a stunning sight. President Obama was in London for a summit meeting in early 2009. He bowed low before King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia. President Obama had apparently never learned that Americans do not bow and the American President, especially, should never bow to a King.
Now, with the death of King Abdullah, President Obama has issued a statement that is, to put it charitably, about as far from the truth as the East is from the West. The White House issued a warm statement of appreciation of Abdullah’s legacy.
To Mr. Obama, King Abdullah was “a candid leader who had the courage of his convictions, including his passionate belief in the importance of the U.S.-Saudi relationship as a force for stability and security in the Middle East.”
Should we laugh? Or cry? During Mr. Obama’s six years, the always-turbulent Mideast has boiled over. Countries that were thought to be reliable allies of the U.S.—like NATO Member Turkey, like Egypt—have been moving farther away from their pro-American stance.














