Posted on 12/23/2008 9:25:36 AM PST by mojito
US President George W. Bush's foreign policies may be unpopular in the Middle East, but Arab leaders showered his top diplomat with jewelry worth far more than a quarter of a million dollars last year.
While Bush himself didn't fare nearly as well, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice raked in at least $316,000 in gem-encrusted baubles from the kings of Jordan and Saudi Arabia alone, making her one of top recipients among US officials of gifts from foreign heads of state and government and their aides in 2007.
In January, Jordan's King Abdullah II gave Rice an emerald and diamond necklace, ring, bracelet and earrings estimated to be worth $147,000....
The king and his wife, Queen Rania, also gave Rice a less expensive necklace and earrings along with a jewelry box valued at $4,630, the document shows.
Not to be outdone, King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia presented Rice with a ruby and diamond necklace with matching earrings, bracelet and ring worth $165,000 in July. The inventory also includes a $170,000 flower petal motif necklace the Saudi monarch gave to Rice in 2005, which the department says was not previously disclosed.
From the same Arab leaders, Bush received just over $100,000 in gifts in 2007, the list shows.
Other gifts include an $85,000 sapphire and diamond jewelry set and $10,000 piece of artwork depicting a desert scene of bedouins, camels and a tent made of gold given to first lady Laura Bush by Saudi King Abdullah.
Unfortunately for the Bushes, Rice and other recipients, they won't be able to enjoy the gifts as they have been turned over to the General Services Administration and government archives in accordance with federal law, which bars officials from accepting personal presents in almost all circumstances.
(Excerpt) Read more at jpost.com ...
Wahhabist cult Saudi oil profits buys whomever allows it.
LOL GOOD one.
How is it that elect4d officials are allowed to accept these gifts in the first place? I’m fairly certain there a federal regulation against it for civil service workers. In state and local levels of government, one can’t accept a gift worth more than $!0 or $20 dollars.
History has proven again and again that the people at the top are not immune to bribery and are all too happy to be on the take.
The Saudis apparently own U.S. leaders on both sides of the aisle and are the main funders of Islamic terrorism around the world.
Too bad Condi will not be able to wear all her baubles when she stands before the Almighty God to give an accounting for her life.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.