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SoCal Chris
14 years ago
I read somewhere where it was noted that the ‘Bama Bow’ was not reciprocated by the Emperor or his wife. They understand protocol and what a bow signifies! I’m sure O does, too, but is still going to try to appease as many nations as possible–except, of course, the majority of Americans he’s supposed to be representing.
I’ve been to Japan many many times, and after going many times as engineer-to-engineer, I was slated to meet with the muckety-mucks. Prior to meeting with high-ranking government officials, heads of industry, and the Emperor’s representative, they sent me to Japanese “Charm School” where we took a week to learn “how to act”.
Bowing-class was two of those days.
The deep bow is only done (even in Japan) by children to the very old, and teachers, upon first introduction, (or after a long absence), and the religious. The religious only do it in front of deities, and the Emperor.
In meeting a person of “higher status” one bows only very slightly more than him (always a “him”). This in practice means a head-dip, and 2-3 degrees of hip-movement more than his, WHILE KEEPING EYE CONTACT AT ALL TIMES, and never bowing more than 10 degrees or so. One terminates this with a slow blink, then rising, then a release of the grasp with a final, small shake of the hand all in one, smooth movement.
To a woman who is of higher status, one dips the head, and blinks slowly, with a soft, fingers-only grasp.
Only children are expected to avert the eyes during a bow, but the religious also will, during ceremony. Subsequent direct eye to eye contact is fleeting and rare during all conversations with anyone, as too much (as Americans are used to doing) denotes that you are viewing them with suspicion, and possibly scorn.
To those of equal status or position, eyes are met, hands are grasped, and a simultaneous 5-degree bow/head dip is done, along with the other nuances included. This is what Obama should have done even at his most reverential. It is what the Emperor was ready and willing to do, and he would have thought very highly of Obama for doing it. Watch films of Bush doing it, for a perfect example.
Then there is this:
ALL MEN ARE CREATED EQUAL.
This, and this alone should have been forefront in his mind, but we all know he sees our country as a pox upon the planet, with him more important than her.
Toothfairy
14 years ago
I would just add that the Japanese consider the blacks to be an inferior race. Obama reinforces this — dare I call it “racism” — by his extremely deferential bow to the Japanese emperor. It’s time for the Obama Administration to ditch the Cliffs’ Notes version of protocol.
Fact of the matter is everyone IS superior to 0zer0. He diminishes the office he is supposedly representing.
Mr. Narcissistic thinks he is above all living creatures and the faux humble, bama bow isn’t fooling anyone. He is one sick puppy.
Harvey
14 years ago
To SoCal Chris
PLEASE, PLEASE do not use “Bama Bow”!! “BAMA” is the number 1 college football team in the country. Bear Bryant would roll over in his grave if he heard that.
Final thought – We never lower our flag to another country or person, and our President should never bow to anyone under any circumstances.
SoCal Chris
14 years ago
Harvey, my complete and utter apologies!! Alabama most certainly doesn’t deserve that disrespect! And, definitely far be it from me to insult Bear Bryant! (and, I’m serious!) My sports fan aunt would probably have me go out and find a switch for that one.
When tempted to say “Bama”, I will from now on borrow Monica Crowley’s term of endearment for Obama and simply say “the Bama”. I know it’s dangerously close to the other nickname, but is that enough removed from “Bama”, the great football team?
THIS IDIOT SITTING IN OUR WHITE HOUSE BOWS BEFORE EVERY ONE,,,,HE REPRSENTS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,,,,,WE BOW TO NO ONE,THE ONLY BOW WE DO IN AMERICA IS WHEN WE PRAY TO GOD,,,,,
Yippie21
14 years ago
This is jumping the shark. This Obama is a complete and utter FAIL. Not only do we have to see him or hear of him EVERY freakin’ DAY, but he continues to do stuff like this. I hope the WWII vet dems that voted this guy in are seeing what just happened. The US president bows to the very man that lead Japan against us in War. I don’t care what’s happened since, this is disgraceful.
Temujin
14 years ago
You people just will not give Obama a break. This photo was obviously out of context. You must have the audio that went with it. It was “I mean Damn, Emperor, that is one hell of a shine on those little Emperor shoes!”
@Mike’s America: You don’t have to go back to 2007 to see ObamaMao disrespect the colors/anthem. Gateway Pundit posted a photo on Thursday, November 12, titled “Oops! … Obama Forgets to Do Something Again” that shows the same thing happening recently. Just like the 2007 shot, he’s covering his crotch with his hands. The only difference is that now the whole world knows he’s not a patriot and he doesn’t have any balls.
Who is handling this guy? You would think by now they would have found someone who could explain things to him. Hard to believe anyone could screw up this many times so fast! It’s like a SNL skit everyday with this administration.
Hey, anybody remember those really cute pictures of George W. Bush holding hands with the Saudi king? No? Check them out here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjtfaLtLT7s Did I mention that 15 of the 19 hijackers on 9/11 were Saudis? Did I mention that none of them were Iraqi? Looks a lot like treason to me.
You see folks, when the National Anthem is being played, Obama has some very good reasons for not saluting or placing his hand over his heart…
-He has no heart, and he thinks they are playing it for him.
Scrapiron
14 years ago
#2 is right on. Lived in Tokyo for three years. A slight head tip is a sign of honoring the person, as a firm hand shake is in America. I think President O’Dumbo just can’t rid himself of the habit of the ‘on the knees/bend over’ position. Rumor has it he had lots of practice in Chicago while smoking crack. At least one guy will swear to it in court.
URI
14 years ago
This type of behavior is inhereted. Is that from his mother or father side of the family?
Skookum
14 years ago
An international embarrassment.
Thanks PV, this is interesting info. I learned a little of the Japanese customs of respect in the kendo and jiu jitsu dojos, there it was respect of the the sensei and of your opponent.
Funny how Obama wants to humble himself to the point of looking like an insignificant peasant, yet during the national anthem he wants to look like he has a couple of watermelons for huevos. Oh excuse me! I assume it is politically incorrect to mention Obama and watermelons in the same sentence; but damn it, he is the one who keeps re-enforcing that step and fetch it image.
@Skookum: I think the watermelon reference is O.K. Just don’t include any mention of fried chicken along with it.
Hankster58
14 years ago
I don’t see the problem here??? What’s all this beefing??? I mean, the man SHOULD have bowed!! If fact, he didn’t Bow LOW ENOUGH!! He, after all, IS “beneath” the Emperor, and all other Heads of state for that matter!!!! Now, as soon as we elect a PRESIDENT….. i’ll expect the kind of dignified attitude that most here are in arms over!!!! Until then, as long as we have , well, uh, er, well, what we have…… expect more of the same.. LOTS more!!! Good news is, only 3 and a fudge more yrs to go!! (Sorry, in this case, best “good news” I could come up with)!
Skookum
14 years ago
M A that was good, I nearly choked on my cabernet and crackers, thanks, I needed that to face a hard day tomorrow. Unlike the insinuation of the Liberal Lemming, I don’t do Cheetos, strictly a Wheat Thins and cab man. Humor is my addiction, keep them coming my patriot friends.
Thanks to Obama’s decision to bring KSM to NYC for fun and games and now this pathetic display in Japan, the words “liberal” and “pussy” are forever intrinsically linked.
Another thing I forgot to mention, was that those who DO do the deep bow are NOT to touch the other person at the same time. The hands are to be lightly placed on the side/front of ones own thighs.
Idiot even screws up a screw-up.
He also made the gaff of trying to get the Empress to go through the door first. If you watch her face and eyes carefully during all this, she looks bemused, then confused, then at the end, embarrassed to look up. She was embarrassed FOR him, (which is very Japanese). I’ve seen that look before, fortunately not aimed at me.
My initial struggle was being 6’5″ and 225lbs with a goatee, as I scared the hell out of kids on the trains, and old ladies in stores. A smile and a Ahhhnold imitation (from one of their commercials) made the kids relax, and a straight-down-gaze with head-bow for the old-ones usually did the trick. (Hands on thighs)
By the third trip, the facial hair came off, the contacts were swapped for glasses, and I spent too much money on damn fine Italian suit. Then I looked little less like a “scary big cowboy man” as one of the Japanese secretaries giggled out one day, and more like “nice business man”.
And yes, he has a building full of protocol specialists on staff. It was one of those people who came out to teach us, (she was a Japanese citizen) and we used the government-supplied booklet written by the State Department. That, and I pay attention to the social interactions of people wherever I’ve gone, simply because it fascinates me. I’ve filled 4 passbooks up with stamps, and have been in over 30 countries on business/pleasure, and another 10 or so while in the Navy before that.
Here’s the next thing to look for…His gift. One ALWAYS brings a gift of ones travels, NOT a gift of oneself, unless one is a close friend, and nothing brash, bold, or bragging. Food samples from one’s country is nice also. I always brought M&M’s for the secretaries and technicians, and they would dust off a 2 lb bag in 5 days between the 10 of them. One also presents the gift personally, and not through an underling.
bill-tb
14 years ago
Our Dear Reader is going to take a week of showers to wash away.
“My initial struggle was being 6′5″ and 225lbs with a goatee, as I scared the hell out of kids on the trains, and old ladies in stores.”
Oh no! Look out Tokyo! Here comes Patzilla! (dubbing unsynched)
These gaffs by a man that claims foreign policy expertise by saying “Pahk-key-stohn” are no surprise but no less humiliating. Obama is an unmitigated embarrassment.
Madalyn
14 years ago
I shudder to think of what the world thinks of us now. They used to respect us, but now laugh at us. what a damn shame!
Madalyn
with so many peoples in the world trying to become american they have a mind of admiration for America the brave and where the people can speak so freely about good and bad,thank you.
John ryan
14 years ago
Can you imagine the rightwing of America mocking FDR like this when we were at war ? I can’t
budvarakbar
14 years ago
#36: They did not have too – they especially had no reason — not like this POS continuously provides
@John ryan: Oh like you all of a sudden care about how the President gets treated! A bit too late on that one pops!
And as for your belated recognition that we are “AT WAR” I’d say it’s about time. Perhaps now you can put these “terrorist” attacks in proper perspective and not be so eager to blame Hasan’s murderous rampage on army fatigue.
THE WORLD ONCE HAD GREAT FEAR OF OUR COUNTRY,THIS IDIOT SITTING IN OUR WHITE HOUSE IS MAKING US THE LAUGHING STOCK OF THE WORLD,,HE THINKS HE HAS TO BOW,SELL US OUT,OR APOLOGIZE FOR OUR MILITARY THAT THAT HAVE SHED PRECIOUS BLOOD TO HELP OTHER NATIONS GAIN THEIR FREEDOM,FROM DICTATORS, HE HAS BECOME THE FIRST APOLOGIST IN CHIEF,AND HOPEFULLY OUR LAST ONE,
Maybe because FDR actually wanted to WIN the war. The rightwing certainly fought his effort to stack the Supreme Court, and was against the internment of Japanes-Americans.
@jo: I believe Obama, through his actions, has created a new word. Opologist: One who apologizes for his country of residence, culture and people. One who apologizes for the people who pay his salary (one who bites the hand that feeds him).
Frankly, I’m always surprised when he doesn’t get down on all fours and lick their shoes.
Can you imagine the rightwing of America mocking FDR like this when we were at war ? I can’t
FDR knew we were at war. Can you imagine if BHO knew we were at war as well? Instead, he’s on his grand Asia Tour while Afghanistan awaits a decision.
What was your point again?
As for the topic at hand, this is where I rile up my fellow conservatives and say we’re only making ourselves look bad by making this into such a politically partisan and petty issue. I agree with Amy Proctor on this.
@American Voter You are just so clever. President oBOWma. Laugh? I thought my pants would never dry. @johnryan As I recall, the Germans did attack some of our allies. Iraq hadn’t attacked anyone since we kicked them out of our BFF Kuwait’s oil patches under Bush the Elder. And Kuwait, as we all know was eternally grateful to us and has transformed itself into a real flower of democracy in the Arab world. If the Saudis are at war with al Qaeda, why does most of its funding still come from there? @Madalyn All the polls indicate that the world likes and respects us much more now that we’re not acting like a belligerent schoolyard bully. The biggest joke of all is that the whole trillion dollars down the rathole and counting Iraq debacle was an attempt by chicken hawks like Cheney to demonstrate, in the wake of 9/ll, that we are too tough to mess with. What it demonstrated instead is the limits of military power to make the world more like us.
As for the topic at hand, this is where I rile up my fellow conservatives and say we’re only making ourselves look bad by making this into such a politically partisan and petty issue. I agree with Amy Proctor on this.
You can’t rile us up, cuz we love ya too much, and we know where your loyalties are!
If this was the only thing he’s done that been of a submissive nature, I too, might give it a pass.
But it seems every day he’s either rolling over on his back for someone, or dis-respecting someone, that in either case is completly upside-down in what would be “normal” for any and all American president’s of the past, of either party.
The fact the we KNOW the department of protocol within the State dept gave him every hint known pertaining to “how to act” (hell even the “cowboy” never did anything close to this) shows us that he thinks he’s above it all.
And we think he’s a freakin commie. 😉
Amy always has some good points, but I can assure you that her bowing all over Asia made her look pretty goofy to the folks there, and as I also spent a huge amount of time in South Korea, (more time than I did Japan) I can assure her and you, that there are differences. Not to mention the “head-dip” that every one does in Korea and Japan vs the deep bow-wilst hand-shaking btween heads-of-state.
It is also wrong for her to compare her experience in a Korean dress shop, vs the leader of the free world meeting the Emperor of Japan.
The populace of both countries are slightly bemused when us round-eyes do our dipping, but once the level of contact is above tourist or worker-drone, it becomes VERY important to the Asian person involved.
@tfhr Speaking as one who has been a New Yorker for 40 years and as one of the many locals to see and smell and feel up close the outcome of that terrible day, I am proud of my country for showing faith in our criminal justice system and demonstrating to the world that justice for all means exactly that. The power of that simple idea is stronger than all the armies of the world combined and I’m always surprised that my conservative friends don’t seem to believe in it very much.
My view has always been that 9/11 was a spectacular crime committed by a small band of international criminals who got incredibly lucky on a perfect day in the Northeast–one of the few days of the year when all the planes departed on time It was never an ‘invasion’ or “act of aggression” by a foreign power (like, Pearl Harbor). There were no governments involved, no armies, no secret intelligence agencies. It should have been treated as a crime from day one, with the perpetrators tracked down and brought to justice (or killed if they resisted). The entire world stood ready to help us apprehend the killers. But, the Bush administration was already lobbying for an excuse to invade Iraq and show the world how tough we are and 9/11 provided that excuse, although there was no connection to Iraq.
I have served on New York juries many times. There is no chance that any of these guys will ever walk free; if they were by some miracle acquitted new charges would be filed immediately. It is more than poetic justice that they will be tried by New Yorkers–against whom this monstrous crime was committed–a few blocks from the scene of murder. To my conservative friends I would say: Have a little faith in the American system; justice will be done.
@Jerry Bowles said: “My view has always been that 9/11 was a spectacular crime committed by a small band of international criminals who got incredibly lucky on a perfect day “
Yeah, it’s no big deal right? It’s not like these monsters haven’t killed tens of thousands of innocent people ALL OVER THE WORLD and are trying to get a nuclear bomb to kill us by the hundreds of thousands….
Ok, I’ll bite. What tens of thousands of innocent people are you talking about? Looking at the other incidents that might plausibly be al Qaeda and not some other group of terrorists with different causes, we have the Cole bombing (very high tech, two guys in a row boat), maybe Spain and London, Bali…what else? And I’m not saying those weren’t terrible, just that they were not “tens of thousands” of innocent people killed. Are you conflating the Taliban with al Qaeda–they are not the same people. The Taliban is one side of a civil war in Afghanistan with the drug lords like Karzai’s brother, propped up by us, on the other. And, what evidence do we have that anyone remotely related to al Queda has tried to obtain a nuclear bomb? Can you cite a source, please. And don’t mention, Iran, they’re not even Arabs. And, btw, you can’t build a nuclear bomb with a home chemistry kit.
1993 (Feb.): Bombing of World Trade Center (WTC); 6 killed.
1993 (Oct.): Killing of U.S. soldiers in Somalia.
1996 (June): Truck bombing at Khobar Towers barracks in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, killed 19 Americans.
1998 (Aug.): Bombing of U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania; 224 killed, including 12 Americans.
1999 (Dec.): Plot to bomb millennium celebrations in Seattle foiled when customs agents arrest an Algerian smuggling explosives into the U.S.
2000 (Oct.): Bombing of the USS Cole in port in Yemen; 17 U.S. sailors killed.
2001 (Sept.): Destruction of WTC; attack on Pentagon. Total dead 2,992.
2001 (Dec.): Man tried to denote shoe bomb on flight from Paris to Miami.
2002 (April): Explosion at historic synagogue in Tunisia left 21 dead, including 11 German tourists.
2002 (May): Car exploded outside hotel in Karachi, Pakistan, killing 14, including 11 French citizens.
2002 (June): Bomb exploded outside American consulate in Karachi, Pakistan, killing 12.
2002 (Oct.): Boat crashed into oil tanker off Yemen coast, killing 1.
2002 (Oct.): Nightclub bombings in Bali, Indonesia, killed 202, mostly Australian citizens.
2002 (Nov.): Suicide attack on a hotel in Mombasa, Kenya, killed 16.
2003 (May): Suicide bombers killed 34, including 8 Americans, at housing compounds for Westerners in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
2003 (May): 4 bombs killed 33 people targeting Jewish, Spanish, and Belgian sites in Casablanca, Morocco.
2003 (Aug.): Suicide car-bomb killed 12, injured 150 at Marriott Hotel in Jakarta, Indonesia.
2003 (Nov.): Explosions rocked a Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, housing compound, killing 17.
2003 (Nov.): Suicide car-bombers simultaneously attacked 2 synagogues in Istanbul, Turkey, killing 25 and injuring hundreds.
2003 (Nov.): Truck bombs detonated at London bank and British consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, killing 26.
2004 (March): 10 bombs on 4 trains exploded almost simultaneously during the morning rush hour in Madrid, Spain, killing 191 and injuring more than 1,500.
2004 (May): Terrorists attacked Saudi oil company offices in Khobar, Saudi Arabia, killing 22.
2004 (June): Terrorists kidnapped and executed American Paul Johnson, Jr., in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
2004 (Sept.): Car bomb outside the Australian embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia, killed 9.
2004 (Dec.): Terrorists entered the U.S. Consulate in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, killing 9 (including 4 attackers).
2005 (July): Bombs exploded on 3 trains and a bus in London, England, killing 52.
2005 (Oct.): 22 killed by 3 suicide bombs in Bali, Indonesia.
2005 (Nov.): 57 killed at 3 American hotels in Amman, Jordan.
2006 (Jan.): Two suicide bombers carrying police badges blow themselves up near a celebration at the Police Academy in Baghdad, killing nearly 20 police officers. Al-Qaeda in Iraq takes responsibility.
2006 (Aug.): Police arrest 24 British-born Muslims, most of whom have ties to Pakistan, who had allegedly plotted to blow up as many as 10 planes using liquid explosives. Officials say details of the plan were similar to other schemes devised by al-Qaeda.
2007 (April): Suicide bombers attack a government building in Algeria’s capital, Algiers, killing 35 and wounding hundreds more. Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb claims responsibility.
2007 (April): Eight people, including two Iraqi legislators, die when a suicide bomber strikes inside the Parliament building in Baghdad. An organization that includes al-Qaeda in Mesopotamia claims responsibility. In another attack, the Sarafiya Bridge that spans the Tigris River is destroyed.
2007 (June): British police find car bombs in two vehicles in London. The attackers reportedly tried to detonate the bombs using cell phones but failed. Government officials say al-Qaeda is linked to the attempted attack. The following day, an SUV carrying bombs bursts into flames after it slams into an entrance to Glasgow Airport. Officials say the attacks are connected.
2007 (December): As many as 60 people are killed in two suicide attacks near United Nations offices and government buildings in Algiers, Algeria. The bombings occur within minutes of each other. Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, formerly called the Salafist Group for Preaching, claims responsibility. It’s the worst attack in the Algeria in more than 10 years.
2008 (January): In the worst attack in Iraq in months, a suicide bomber kills 30 people at a home where mourners were paying their respects to the family of a man killed in a car bomb. The Iraqi military blames the attack on al-Qaeda in Iraq.
2008 (February): Nearly 100 people die when two women suicide bombers, who are believed to be mentally impaired, attack crowded pet markets in eastern Baghdad. The U.S. military says al-Qaeda in Iraq has been recruiting female patients at psychiatric hospitals to become suicide bombers.
2008 (April): A suicide bomber attacks the funeral for two nephews of a prominent Sunni tribal leader, Sheik Kareem Kamil al-Azawi, killing 30 people in Iraq’s Diyala Province.
2008 (April): A suicide car bomber kills 40 people in Baquba, the capital of Diyala Province in Iraq.
2008 (April): Thirty-five people die and 62 are injured when a woman detonates explosives that she was carrying under her dress in a busy shopping district in Iraq’s Diyala Province.
2008 (May): At least 12 worshipers are killed and 44 more injured when a bomb explodes in the Bin Salman mosque near Sana, Yemen.
2008 (May): An al-Qaeda suicide bomber detonates explosives in Hit, a city in the Anbar Province of Iraq, killing six policemen and four civilians, and injuring 12 other people.
2008 (June): A car bomb explodes outside the Danish Embassy in Pakistan, killing six people and injuring dozens. Al-Qaeda claims responsibility, saying the attack was retaliation for the 2006 publication of political cartoons in the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten that depicted the Islamic prophet Muhammad.
2008 (June): A female suicide bomber kills 15 and wounds 40 others, including seven Iraqi policemen, near a courthouse in Baquba, Iraq.
2008 (June): A suicide bomber kills at least 20 people at a meeting between sheiks and Americans in Karmah, a town west of Baghdad.
2008 (August): About two dozens worshippers are killed in three separate attacks as they make their way toward Karbala to celebrate the birthday of 9th-century imam Muhammad al-Mahdi. Iraqi officials blame al-Qaeda in Iraq for the attacks.
2008 (August): A bomb left on the street explodes and tears through a bus carrying Lebanese troops, killing 15 people, nine of them soldiers. No one claims responsibility for the attack, but in 2007, the army fought an al-Qaeda linked Islamist group in Tripoli.
2008 (August): At least 43 people are killed when a suicide bomber drives an explosives-laden car into a police academy in Issers, a town in northern Algeria.
2008 (August): Two car bombs explode at a military command and a hotel in Bouira, killing a dozen people. No group takes responsibility for either attack, Algerian officials said they suspect al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb is behind the bombings.
2008 (September): In its first acknowledged ground attack inside Pakistan, U.S. commandos raid a village that is home to al-Qaeda militants in the tribal region near the border with Afghanistan. The number of casualties is unclear.
2008 (September): A car bomb and a rocket strike the U.S. embassy in Yemen as staff arrived to work, killing 16 people, including 4 civilians. At least 25 suspected al-Qaeda militants are arrested for the attack.
2008 (November): at least 28 people die and over 60 more are injured when three bombs explode minutes apart in Baghdad, Iraq. Officials suspect the explosions are linked to al-Qaeda.
I guess all those were just dumb luck too? Nothing to worry about… no big deal….
If the Saudis are at war with al Qaeda, why does most of its funding still come from there?
Wahhabism has strong roots in Saudi Arabia, and you have appeasers and sympathizers to the extremists; but it also remains true that the Saudis have also aligned with the U.S. against the common threat of Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda. This is also happening and this.
The Saudis through the 80’s appeased jihad extremists through funding, so long as their attention was turned away from attacking Saudi Arabia. Steve Coll’s Ghost Wars:
Prince Turki and other liberal princes found it easier to appease their domestic Islamic rivals by allowing them to proselytize and make mischief abroad than to confront and resolve these tensions at home.
Support pretty much ended for bin Laden’s group (at least officially) once bin Laden began ranting against the United States and its presence on the Arabian peninsula (he was snubbed by the Saudi government from helping evict Saddam out of Kuwait and told foreign presence would leave soon after). He began funding Saudi dissidents. The Saudis stripped bin Laden of his citizenship in 1994, exiled, and seized bin Laden’s personal fortune.
bin Laden is at war with the House of Saud.
Re: Your position regarding Iraq.
Here is the difference between Saddam and the Saudi government: The former offered not one act of cooperation in the war on terror; the Saudis have. They are a target of al Qaeda plots; and in return, the Saudi government has been fighting for its own survival against Islamic terror, killing and capturing al Qaeda operatives and arresting and convicting thousands without trial.
@Madalyn All the polls indicate that the world likes and respects us much more now that we’re not acting like a belligerent schoolyard bully.
Jerry,
The “world” doesn’t have America’s best interest at heart. They, like all nations, act according to their own self-interests. And your opinion that America acts like a “belligerent schoolyard bully” is a flawed perspective at best.
The biggest joke of all is that the whole trillion dollars down the rathole and counting Iraq debacle was an attempt by chicken hawks like Cheney to demonstrate, in the wake of 9/ll, that we are too tough to mess with. What it demonstrated instead is the limits of military power to make the world more like us.
The Bush team never said democracy in Iraq or Afghanistan would look like our own. The “tough talk” is over-mythologized by the critics, and occurred on the heels of 9/11. The goal of the Administration wasn’t in seeking retribution but in preventing the next terror attack. Which is why Iraq became part of the GWoT. Yet so many on your side make the fallacious strawman, “Iraq never attacked us on 9/11”. Find me a quote where Bush ever made that argument.
My view has always been that 9/11 was a spectacular crime committed by a small band of international criminals who got incredibly lucky on a perfect day in the Northeast–one of the few days of the year when all the planes departed on time It was never an ‘invasion’ or “act of aggression” by a foreign power (like, Pearl Harbor). There were no governments involved, no armies, no secret intelligence agencies.
The problem of Islamic terrorism is larger than just one terror group, al Qaeda. It is more properly the al Qaeda NETWORK and related Islamic terror organizations. And they were not just “lucky”. And it is your desire to only see Islamic terror as a small-scale law enforcement issue that brought terrorism throughout the 90’s to culminate in the events of 9/11.
It is not quite accurate to say there were no governments involved. The Taliban gave safe haven and training grounds to al Qaeda. Saddam was steeped deep in terrorist training and funding activities.
The entire world stood ready to help us apprehend the killers.
That’s not entirely true. There were many a crocodile tear shed.
But, the Bush administration was already lobbying for an excuse to invade Iraq and show the world how tough we are and 9/11 provided that excuse, although there was no connection to Iraq.
You misunderstand the connection and the argument for “why Iraq?”
I read somewhere where it was noted that the ‘Bama Bow’ was not reciprocated by the Emperor or his wife. They understand protocol and what a bow signifies! I’m sure O does, too, but is still going to try to appease as many nations as possible–except, of course, the majority of Americans he’s supposed to be representing.
It’s actually worse than this…
I’ve been to Japan many many times, and after going many times as engineer-to-engineer, I was slated to meet with the muckety-mucks. Prior to meeting with high-ranking government officials, heads of industry, and the Emperor’s representative, they sent me to Japanese “Charm School” where we took a week to learn “how to act”.
Bowing-class was two of those days.
The deep bow is only done (even in Japan) by children to the very old, and teachers, upon first introduction, (or after a long absence), and the religious. The religious only do it in front of deities, and the Emperor.
In meeting a person of “higher status” one bows only very slightly more than him (always a “him”). This in practice means a head-dip, and 2-3 degrees of hip-movement more than his, WHILE KEEPING EYE CONTACT AT ALL TIMES, and never bowing more than 10 degrees or so. One terminates this with a slow blink, then rising, then a release of the grasp with a final, small shake of the hand all in one, smooth movement.
To a woman who is of higher status, one dips the head, and blinks slowly, with a soft, fingers-only grasp.
Only children are expected to avert the eyes during a bow, but the religious also will, during ceremony. Subsequent direct eye to eye contact is fleeting and rare during all conversations with anyone, as too much (as Americans are used to doing) denotes that you are viewing them with suspicion, and possibly scorn.
To those of equal status or position, eyes are met, hands are grasped, and a simultaneous 5-degree bow/head dip is done, along with the other nuances included. This is what Obama should have done even at his most reverential. It is what the Emperor was ready and willing to do, and he would have thought very highly of Obama for doing it. Watch films of Bush doing it, for a perfect example.
Then there is this:
ALL MEN ARE CREATED EQUAL.
This, and this alone should have been forefront in his mind, but we all know he sees our country as a pox upon the planet, with him more important than her.
I would just add that the Japanese consider the blacks to be an inferior race. Obama reinforces this — dare I call it “racism” — by his extremely deferential bow to the Japanese emperor. It’s time for the Obama Administration to ditch the Cliffs’ Notes version of protocol.
Fact of the matter is everyone IS superior to 0zer0. He diminishes the office he is supposedly representing.
Mr. Narcissistic thinks he is above all living creatures and the faux humble, bama bow isn’t fooling anyone. He is one sick puppy.
To SoCal Chris
PLEASE, PLEASE do not use “Bama Bow”!! “BAMA” is the number 1 college football team in the country. Bear Bryant would roll over in his grave if he heard that.
Final thought – We never lower our flag to another country or person, and our President should never bow to anyone under any circumstances.
Harvey, my complete and utter apologies!! Alabama most certainly doesn’t deserve that disrespect! And, definitely far be it from me to insult Bear Bryant! (and, I’m serious!) My sports fan aunt would probably have me go out and find a switch for that one.
When tempted to say “Bama”, I will from now on borrow Monica Crowley’s term of endearment for Obama and simply say “the Bama”. I know it’s dangerously close to the other nickname, but is that enough removed from “Bama”, the great football team?
THIS IDIOT SITTING IN OUR WHITE HOUSE BOWS BEFORE EVERY ONE,,,,HE REPRSENTS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,,,,,WE BOW TO NO ONE,THE ONLY BOW WE DO IN AMERICA IS WHEN WE PRAY TO GOD,,,,,
This is jumping the shark. This Obama is a complete and utter FAIL. Not only do we have to see him or hear of him EVERY freakin’ DAY, but he continues to do stuff like this. I hope the WWII vet dems that voted this guy in are seeing what just happened. The US president bows to the very man that lead Japan against us in War. I don’t care what’s happened since, this is disgraceful.
You people just will not give Obama a break. This photo was obviously out of context. You must have the audio that went with it. It was “I mean Damn, Emperor, that is one hell of a shine on those little Emperor shoes!”
@Patvann: Thanks for the background. I think it is too late to send Obama to charm school.
And that reminds me, remember how respectful he was when the National Anthem was playing in Iowa back in 2007?
Comparison of bows by Heads of State
Does someone look completely out of place here? Just saying.
http://domania.us/Oaccess/OBAMA/O-JapanBow.gif
Do you think his handlers had him see pictures of how to greet other heads of states or is he just winging it badly?
@this is how you bow: Good find! I’ve embedded the image below:
@Mike’s America: You don’t have to go back to 2007 to see ObamaMao disrespect the colors/anthem. Gateway Pundit posted a photo on Thursday, November 12, titled “Oops! … Obama Forgets to Do Something Again” that shows the same thing happening recently. Just like the 2007 shot, he’s covering his crotch with his hands. The only difference is that now the whole world knows he’s not a patriot and he doesn’t have any balls.
@Toothfairy: I missed that! Thanks… Here’s the link:
http://gatewaypundit.firstthings.com/2009/11/oops-obama-forgets-his-to-respect-the-flag-again/
Who is handling this guy? You would think by now they would have found someone who could explain things to him. Hard to believe anyone could screw up this many times so fast! It’s like a SNL skit everyday with this administration.
Hey, anybody remember those really cute pictures of George W. Bush holding hands with the Saudi king? No? Check them out here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjtfaLtLT7s Did I mention that 15 of the 19 hijackers on 9/11 were Saudis? Did I mention that none of them were Iraqi? Looks a lot like treason to me.
Nice try, Jerry.
Mike’s America said, “I’m surprised Obama didn’t apologize for the U.S. winning WW2!”
How do you know he didn’t?
Think its about time I send this loser my old Kneepads
You see folks, when the National Anthem is being played, Obama has some very good reasons for not saluting or placing his hand over his heart…
-He has no heart, and he thinks they are playing it for him.
#2 is right on. Lived in Tokyo for three years. A slight head tip is a sign of honoring the person, as a firm hand shake is in America. I think President O’Dumbo just can’t rid himself of the habit of the ‘on the knees/bend over’ position. Rumor has it he had lots of practice in Chicago while smoking crack. At least one guy will swear to it in court.
This type of behavior is inhereted. Is that from his mother or father side of the family?
An international embarrassment.
Thanks PV, this is interesting info. I learned a little of the Japanese customs of respect in the kendo and jiu jitsu dojos, there it was respect of the the sensei and of your opponent.
Funny how Obama wants to humble himself to the point of looking like an insignificant peasant, yet during the national anthem he wants to look like he has a couple of watermelons for huevos. Oh excuse me! I assume it is politically incorrect to mention Obama and watermelons in the same sentence; but damn it, he is the one who keeps re-enforcing that step and fetch it image.
Now that’s a Teabagger!
@Skookum: I think the watermelon reference is O.K. Just don’t include any mention of fried chicken along with it.
I don’t see the problem here??? What’s all this beefing??? I mean, the man SHOULD have bowed!! If fact, he didn’t Bow LOW ENOUGH!! He, after all, IS “beneath” the Emperor, and all other Heads of state for that matter!!!! Now, as soon as we elect a PRESIDENT….. i’ll expect the kind of dignified attitude that most here are in arms over!!!! Until then, as long as we have , well, uh, er, well, what we have…… expect more of the same.. LOTS more!!! Good news is, only 3 and a fudge more yrs to go!! (Sorry, in this case, best “good news” I could come up with)!
M A that was good, I nearly choked on my cabernet and crackers, thanks, I needed that to face a hard day tomorrow. Unlike the insinuation of the Liberal Lemming, I don’t do Cheetos, strictly a Wheat Thins and cab man. Humor is my addiction, keep them coming my patriot friends.
@Jerry Bowles:
Thanks to Obama’s decision to bring KSM to NYC for fun and games and now this pathetic display in Japan, the words “liberal” and “pussy” are forever intrinsically linked.
Another thing I forgot to mention, was that those who DO do the deep bow are NOT to touch the other person at the same time. The hands are to be lightly placed on the side/front of ones own thighs.
Idiot even screws up a screw-up.
He also made the gaff of trying to get the Empress to go through the door first. If you watch her face and eyes carefully during all this, she looks bemused, then confused, then at the end, embarrassed to look up. She was embarrassed FOR him, (which is very Japanese). I’ve seen that look before, fortunately not aimed at me.
My initial struggle was being 6’5″ and 225lbs with a goatee, as I scared the hell out of kids on the trains, and old ladies in stores. A smile and a Ahhhnold imitation (from one of their commercials) made the kids relax, and a straight-down-gaze with head-bow for the old-ones usually did the trick. (Hands on thighs)
By the third trip, the facial hair came off, the contacts were swapped for glasses, and I spent too much money on damn fine Italian suit. Then I looked little less like a “scary big cowboy man” as one of the Japanese secretaries giggled out one day, and more like “nice business man”.
And yes, he has a building full of protocol specialists on staff. It was one of those people who came out to teach us, (she was a Japanese citizen) and we used the government-supplied booklet written by the State Department. That, and I pay attention to the social interactions of people wherever I’ve gone, simply because it fascinates me. I’ve filled 4 passbooks up with stamps, and have been in over 30 countries on business/pleasure, and another 10 or so while in the Navy before that.
Here’s the next thing to look for…His gift. One ALWAYS brings a gift of ones travels, NOT a gift of oneself, unless one is a close friend, and nothing brash, bold, or bragging. Food samples from one’s country is nice also. I always brought M&M’s for the secretaries and technicians, and they would dust off a 2 lb bag in 5 days between the 10 of them. One also presents the gift personally, and not through an underling.
Our Dear Reader is going to take a week of showers to wash away.
@Patvann:
“My initial struggle was being 6′5″ and 225lbs with a goatee, as I scared the hell out of kids on the trains, and old ladies in stores.”
Oh no! Look out Tokyo! Here comes Patzilla! (dubbing unsynched)
These gaffs by a man that claims foreign policy expertise by saying “Pahk-key-stohn” are no surprise but no less humiliating. Obama is an unmitigated embarrassment.
I shudder to think of what the world thinks of us now. They used to respect us, but now laugh at us. what a damn shame!
Madalyn
Obama isn’t our “first Pacific President” either.
Nixon won that title 40 years ago.
Our First Pacific President??
Ahhh, give him a break. He was just checkin’ the shine that whitey gave him just before he got off the plane.
with so many peoples in the world trying to become american they have a mind of admiration for America the brave and where the people can speak so freely about good and bad,thank you.
Can you imagine the rightwing of America mocking FDR like this when we were at war ? I can’t
#36: They did not have too – they especially had no reason — not like this POS continuously provides
@John ryan: Oh like you all of a sudden care about how the President gets treated! A bit too late on that one pops!
And as for your belated recognition that we are “AT WAR” I’d say it’s about time. Perhaps now you can put these “terrorist” attacks in proper perspective and not be so eager to blame Hasan’s murderous rampage on army fatigue.
THE WORLD ONCE HAD GREAT FEAR OF OUR COUNTRY,THIS IDIOT SITTING IN OUR WHITE HOUSE IS MAKING US THE LAUGHING STOCK OF THE WORLD,,HE THINKS HE HAS TO BOW,SELL US OUT,OR APOLOGIZE FOR OUR MILITARY THAT THAT HAVE SHED PRECIOUS BLOOD TO HELP OTHER NATIONS GAIN THEIR FREEDOM,FROM DICTATORS, HE HAS BECOME THE FIRST APOLOGIST IN CHIEF,AND HOPEFULLY OUR LAST ONE,
@John ryan
Maybe because FDR actually wanted to WIN the war. The rightwing certainly fought his effort to stack the Supreme Court, and was against the internment of Japanes-Americans.
Any other stupid statements?
@jo: I believe Obama, through his actions, has created a new word. Opologist: One who apologizes for his country of residence, culture and people. One who apologizes for the people who pay his salary (one who bites the hand that feeds him).
Frankly, I’m always surprised when he doesn’t get down on all fours and lick their shoes.
President oBOWma.
@Jerry Bowles:
Is al Qaeda at war with the Saudis or not?
Did you also mention none of those who attacked us at Pearl Harbor were German?
What’s your point, again?
@John ryan:
FDR knew we were at war. Can you imagine if BHO knew we were at war as well? Instead, he’s on his grand Asia Tour while Afghanistan awaits a decision.
What was your point again?
As for the topic at hand, this is where I rile up my fellow conservatives and say we’re only making ourselves look bad by making this into such a politically partisan and petty issue. I agree with Amy Proctor on this.
Btw, I think this was the bigger flub.
@American Voter You are just so clever. President oBOWma. Laugh? I thought my pants would never dry. @johnryan As I recall, the Germans did attack some of our allies. Iraq hadn’t attacked anyone since we kicked them out of our BFF Kuwait’s oil patches under Bush the Elder. And Kuwait, as we all know was eternally grateful to us and has transformed itself into a real flower of democracy in the Arab world. If the Saudis are at war with al Qaeda, why does most of its funding still come from there? @Madalyn All the polls indicate that the world likes and respects us much more now that we’re not acting like a belligerent schoolyard bully. The biggest joke of all is that the whole trillion dollars down the rathole and counting Iraq debacle was an attempt by chicken hawks like Cheney to demonstrate, in the wake of 9/ll, that we are too tough to mess with. What it demonstrated instead is the limits of military power to make the world more like us.
@Wordsmith
You can’t rile us up, cuz we love ya too much, and we know where your loyalties are!
If this was the only thing he’s done that been of a submissive nature, I too, might give it a pass.
But it seems every day he’s either rolling over on his back for someone, or dis-respecting someone, that in either case is completly upside-down in what would be “normal” for any and all American president’s of the past, of either party.
The fact the we KNOW the department of protocol within the State dept gave him every hint known pertaining to “how to act” (hell even the “cowboy” never did anything close to this) shows us that he thinks he’s above it all.
And we think he’s a freakin commie. 😉
Amy always has some good points, but I can assure you that her bowing all over Asia made her look pretty goofy to the folks there, and as I also spent a huge amount of time in South Korea, (more time than I did Japan) I can assure her and you, that there are differences. Not to mention the “head-dip” that every one does in Korea and Japan vs the deep bow-wilst hand-shaking btween heads-of-state.
It is also wrong for her to compare her experience in a Korean dress shop, vs the leader of the free world meeting the Emperor of Japan.
The populace of both countries are slightly bemused when us round-eyes do our dipping, but once the level of contact is above tourist or worker-drone, it becomes VERY important to the Asian person involved.
Aaaaand we think Obama’s a freakin commie. 🙂
@tfhr Speaking as one who has been a New Yorker for 40 years and as one of the many locals to see and smell and feel up close the outcome of that terrible day, I am proud of my country for showing faith in our criminal justice system and demonstrating to the world that justice for all means exactly that. The power of that simple idea is stronger than all the armies of the world combined and I’m always surprised that my conservative friends don’t seem to believe in it very much.
My view has always been that 9/11 was a spectacular crime committed by a small band of international criminals who got incredibly lucky on a perfect day in the Northeast–one of the few days of the year when all the planes departed on time It was never an ‘invasion’ or “act of aggression” by a foreign power (like, Pearl Harbor). There were no governments involved, no armies, no secret intelligence agencies. It should have been treated as a crime from day one, with the perpetrators tracked down and brought to justice (or killed if they resisted). The entire world stood ready to help us apprehend the killers. But, the Bush administration was already lobbying for an excuse to invade Iraq and show the world how tough we are and 9/11 provided that excuse, although there was no connection to Iraq.
I have served on New York juries many times. There is no chance that any of these guys will ever walk free; if they were by some miracle acquitted new charges would be filed immediately. It is more than poetic justice that they will be tried by New Yorkers–against whom this monstrous crime was committed–a few blocks from the scene of murder. To my conservative friends I would say: Have a little faith in the American system; justice will be done.
@Jerry Bowles said: “My view has always been that 9/11 was a spectacular crime committed by a small band of international criminals who got incredibly lucky on a perfect day “
Yeah, it’s no big deal right? It’s not like these monsters haven’t killed tens of thousands of innocent people ALL OVER THE WORLD and are trying to get a nuclear bomb to kill us by the hundreds of thousands….
Oh wait… THEY ARE!
Ok, I’ll bite. What tens of thousands of innocent people are you talking about? Looking at the other incidents that might plausibly be al Qaeda and not some other group of terrorists with different causes, we have the Cole bombing (very high tech, two guys in a row boat), maybe Spain and London, Bali…what else? And I’m not saying those weren’t terrible, just that they were not “tens of thousands” of innocent people killed. Are you conflating the Taliban with al Qaeda–they are not the same people. The Taliban is one side of a civil war in Afghanistan with the drug lords like Karzai’s brother, propped up by us, on the other. And, what evidence do we have that anyone remotely related to al Queda has tried to obtain a nuclear bomb? Can you cite a source, please. And don’t mention, Iran, they’re not even Arabs. And, btw, you can’t build a nuclear bomb with a home chemistry kit.
@Jerry Bowles: Ever heard of Iraq?
You don’t think all those people dying from car bombs are all the result of sectarian violence do you?
And you left quite a few other terrorist attacks off your very , VERY short list.
Do you even remember the attacks on our embassies in Africa?
There’s more of course:
I guess all those were just dumb luck too? Nothing to worry about… no big deal….
@Jerry Bowles #44:
Wahhabism has strong roots in Saudi Arabia, and you have appeasers and sympathizers to the extremists; but it also remains true that the Saudis have also aligned with the U.S. against the common threat of Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda. This is also happening and this.
The Saudis through the 80’s appeased jihad extremists through funding, so long as their attention was turned away from attacking Saudi Arabia. Steve Coll’s Ghost Wars:
Support pretty much ended for bin Laden’s group (at least officially) once bin Laden began ranting against the United States and its presence on the Arabian peninsula (he was snubbed by the Saudi government from helping evict Saddam out of Kuwait and told foreign presence would leave soon after). He began funding Saudi dissidents. The Saudis stripped bin Laden of his citizenship in 1994, exiled, and seized bin Laden’s personal fortune.
bin Laden is at war with the House of Saud.
Re: Your position regarding Iraq.
Here is the difference between Saddam and the Saudi government: The former offered not one act of cooperation in the war on terror; the Saudis have. They are a target of al Qaeda plots; and in return, the Saudi government has been fighting for its own survival against Islamic terror, killing and capturing al Qaeda operatives and arresting and convicting thousands without trial.
Jerry,
The “world” doesn’t have America’s best interest at heart. They, like all nations, act according to their own self-interests. And your opinion that America acts like a “belligerent schoolyard bully” is a flawed perspective at best.
The Bush team never said democracy in Iraq or Afghanistan would look like our own. The “tough talk” is over-mythologized by the critics, and occurred on the heels of 9/11. The goal of the Administration wasn’t in seeking retribution but in preventing the next terror attack. Which is why Iraq became part of the GWoT. Yet so many on your side make the fallacious strawman, “Iraq never attacked us on 9/11”. Find me a quote where Bush ever made that argument.
@Jerry Bowles #46:
The problem of Islamic terrorism is larger than just one terror group, al Qaeda. It is more properly the al Qaeda NETWORK and related Islamic terror organizations. And they were not just “lucky”. And it is your desire to only see Islamic terror as a small-scale law enforcement issue that brought terrorism throughout the 90’s to culminate in the events of 9/11.
It is not quite accurate to say there were no governments involved. The Taliban gave safe haven and training grounds to al Qaeda. Saddam was steeped deep in terrorist training and funding activities.
That’s not entirely true. There were many a crocodile tear shed.
You misunderstand the connection and the argument for “why Iraq?”