Den offisielle rapporten fra US State Department over utenlandske gaver til USAs regjering viser at Saudi Arabia i 2014 sto for 75% av disse gavene og at fredsprisvinner Barack Obama, kona Michelle og døtrene har fått generøse gaver fra hodekapperne i Riyadh. Hele rapporten ligger her. Den iranske TV-stasjonen PressTV klarer ikke helt å skjule sin skadefryd når den siterer fra rapporten:
In its annual accounting report released this week, the State Department revealed that on January 14, 2014, the American president received a “gold and silver men’s wristwatch with leather band,” valued at $18,400.
The monarch gave Obama another “white gold men’s wristwatch with leather band,” in April with a price tag of $67,000.
The president received a “48-inch gold-plated brass replica of the Mecca Clock Tower on marble base” in March with an estimated price of $57,000 – roughly matching the annual income of a median American family.
On January 14, 2014, King Abdullah, who died earlier this year at the age of 90, gave Obama’s wife a “diamond and emerald jewelry set including necklace, earrings, ring and bracelet,” costing $560,000.
The first lady received another exquisite set of the same gifts which was worth a tad higher at around $570,000.
King Abdullah did not forget Obama’s daughters, sending them a “diamond and emerald jewelry set including earrings, necklace, ring, brooch, and wristwatch,” along with a “Diamond and ruby jewelry set including earrings, necklace, ring, brooch, and wristwatch,” priced $80,000.
Spaltisten Jason Lemon tar en annen vri. Han har lagt merke til at en stor del av gavene er dyre klokker, og lurer på om det er noe Riyadh prøver å fortelle den amerikanske regjeringa gjennom valg av gaver.
Particularly interesting is Saudi Arabia’s apparent preference for watches and clocks as a gift of choice, leading us to wonder if the kingdom thinks the Obama administration should keep better track of time?
George Berhard Shaw skal en gang ha gjort skandale da han spurte ei dame fra den høyere britiske sosieteten om hun ville ligge med ham for en million pund. – Naturligvis, skal dama ha svart. Shaw spurte så om hun ville ligge med ham for ti pund. – Tar De meg for en prostituert? raste dama. – Det spørsmålet har vi allerede avklart, svarte Shaw. – Nå diskuterer vi pris.
Er det litt sånn med amerikanske politikere også?
