Bipartisanship, a Marathon, and King Abudullah

Bipartisanship, a Marathon, and King Abudullah 

The Gist

President Obama said he had the courage of his convictions and President Bush said he was a force of modernization. My favorite, however, came from former Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel who said King Abdullah was, "a powerful voice for tolerance, moderation and peace." King Abdullah ruled a country that lashes bloggers for defending an atheist (obviously he was a peaceful man). Women are outright banned from certain professions, driving, most sports, and need to get male permission to travel abroad and obtain certain medical procedures (obviously King Abdullah was a modernizer). Saudi Arabia forbids public worship of any religion other than Islam (obviously King Abdullah was tolerant). According to a leaked memo by former Secretary of State Clinton, Saudi donors constituted “the most significant source of funding to Sunni terrorist groups worldwide." Our country's love for tyrants that benefit our interests is certainly nothing new: the Shah of Iran, Mobutu Sese Seko of then-Zaire, Suharto of Indonesia to name a few. But the praise lavished by CNN, Fox News, NPR, MSNBC and others is ridiculous. I guess it shouldn't come as a surprise: Houston's half marathon is sponsored by Saudi Aramco and large wings of top American institutions are named after Saudi royalty. Our foreign policy still seems to adhere to Secretary of State Kissinger's oft repeated quote, "he is a bastard, but he is our bastard." ...and now you know the gist.