Queen Rania of Jordan Gives Laura Bush a Shawl Decorated With Swastikas

Reuters ^ | Sept. 23, 2003

[Alouette]

Thu Sep 18,11:30 AM ET

Jordan's Queen Rania (L), Jordan King Abdullah II (2nd L), U. S. President George W. Bush, and U.S. first lady Laura Bush (R) pose after Bush and King Abdullah spoke to the press following a meeting at the presidential retreat, Camp David, Maryland, September 18, 2003. The two leaders discussed the Middle East peace process. REUTERS/Larry Downing

Close-up detail of shawl:

[Alouette]

I know that the swastika is a prominent motif in Indian art, but the Indian swastika is upright and clockwise, and the decoration on the shawl is rotated 45 degrees and counter clockwise. Furthermore Queen Raina is no Hindu.

[Alouette]

FRmail me to be added or removed from this pro-Israel ping list.

[MontanaBeth]

Send it back postage due.

[CygnusXI]

The swastika has a looong history, before the Nazi's.
Just FYI.
Bad taste? Uuhmm... yeah.

The Nazi's hijacked the swastika.... kinda like the homo's and the rainbow. LOL

[clamboat]

One cannot even make the clockwise-anticlockwise argument because both designs are represented on the shawl.

Oh man, the protocol chief must have been having conniptions when they saw that. Nothing to do but graciously accept the gift and then put it away, never to be seen again...

[Texas_Dawg]

Haha. That's pretty funny.

[mewzilla]

Arafat probably picked it out.

[Mamzelle]

I'd like a closer look--I'm interested in textile design. You could also call a pinwheel design a swastika, if you so chose. This looks kinda pinwheel-y at first glance.

A shame the Nazis spoiled such a good graphic.

As for swastikas being part of Indian design tradition, I believe that is American Indian of of the Plains tribes, but I'm not positive.

[r9etb]

Queen Rania is a certified babe. That's all I've got to say.

[TomGuy]

To quote Judge Judy: "So ?!?"

It is a design that existed long before the Nazi use of it. Australian Aborigines, North American Navajoes, Southeast Asians are just some of the cultures where it showed up---centuries, even millenia, before the Nazi.

[mewzilla]

She's also a certified Palestinian. No doubt why What's-his-name married her.

[Wisconsin]

I have a Persian rug from my Great Aunt, circa 1910. It has swastikas in the design -- fortunately they don't leap out at you.

Also strangely enough my brother has an Indian bead belt given my grandfather around the time of Pancho Villa which also has swastikas in it.

The only logical conclusion is that the Indians were a lost Iranian tribe.

[adam_az]

Certified babe?

She is an apologist for suicide bombers and other assorted terrorists.

I don't know about you, but it's not something I find particularly attractive in a woman.

Would you eat feces, too, if it were cooked up real nice?

[Alouette]

As for swastikas being part of Indian design tradition, I believe that is American Indian of of the Plains tribes

By Indian I was referring to the Bombay and Delhi natives, but you are right, it is also used by Native Americans.

So, is Her Majesty a Comanche, a Navajo or a Hopi?

[Salem]

"Send it back postage due."

Nah, have an aide send the ugly thing down to the motor pool as a rag to shine the Presidential limo.

[r9etb]

Would you eat feces, too, if it were cooked up real nice?

Sigh.

[Alouette]

Send it to me and I will clean my bathroom floor with it.

[Texas_Dawg]

Sigh.

Ditto.

[stuartcr]

That's about the most stupid thing I've heard today.

[Conservative4Ever]

As for swastikas being part of Indian design tradition, I believe that is American Indian of of the Plains tribes, but I'm not positive.

You are correct. I have seen American Indian artifacts in museums with the swastika design. I assumed it is an ancient design, then marred forever by the Nazis.

Red