The visit by Hillary Clinton, US Secretary of State, to Saudi Arabia understandably gets media coverage. Some of it is coverage of the trivial—as this piece from The Washington Post. A similar article appeared in Saudi Gazette. Other pieces, as this from Arab News, were more substantive:
Iran sponsors terrorism: Clinton
RIMA AL-MUKHTAR | ARAB NEWSJEDDAH: US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton accused Iran on Tuesday of sponsoring terrorism the world over, including in the Kingdom. Answering a student’s question during a town-hall-style forum at Jeddah’s Dar Al-Hekma women’s college about the US pressuring Iran on nuclear weapons while giving a pass to Israel, Clinton said: “Iran has threatened other countries — including the Kingdom.Iran has funded terrorists that have launched attacks within other countries — including the Kingdom.”
Clinton said that Iran’s behavior on the world stage should raise concerns with countries in the region.
“If you were the leader of a country that’s a neighbor, or further away watching as Iran lobs longer-range missiles, watching as they have internal political turmoil so you’re not sure exactly who’s making decisions, and hearing them say that they are going to go forward with enriching uranium, discovering a secret facility that they never disclosed to anyone, violating their obligations to the United Nations and the International Atomic Energy Agency, you’ve got to ask yourself why are they doing this?” she said in her lengthy reply to the student’s question.
…
Saudi Gazette covers this town-hall meeting as well:
While in Jeddah, Secretary Clinton introduced the new US Special Envoy to the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), Rashed Hussein, on his first official trip outside the US:
Clinton introduces new OIC envoy Hussain
MARRIAM MOSSALLI | ARAB NEWSJEDDAH: “We had a very comprehensive discussion about many issues that the United States and the OIC care deeply about, and talked about action plans that we can pursue together,” said US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on her visit to the headquarters of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) on Tuesday morning.
After a 30-minute meeting with OIC Secretary-General Ekmeledin Ihsanoglu, both emerged with complimentary comments on the conducive talks that took place behind closed doors. She later formally introduced Rashed Hussein as US special envoy to the OIC. The secretary-general further highlighted the positive strides that the US and Muslim nations are taking and referred to Obama’s speech in Cairo as a genuine vision of future collaboration between the West and the Muslim world.
Exuding optimism, Hussein, 31, was hopeful that his appointment would bring the US and the Muslim world closer. “I am really honored and humbled to be given this position by President Obama,” said Hussein.
…
Interestingly, the photos of Ms Clinton show her with her head uncovered. In the past, she has tended to wear head coverings in Islamic nations. Whether this means anything is left to the readers to discuss!
Also of some (minor) note, is that at the luncheon offered by King Abdullah, lobsters were on the menu. This is not a big deal in the West, of course, other than as a display of moderate extravagance, but in the Saudi context is not utterly trivial. Many Saudis (certainly not all and perhaps not even a majority) believe that shellfish are religiously prohibited as a foodstuff. The argument against them is the same as that which excludes shellfish from a Kosher diet: shellfish are believed to be (wrongly) ‘eaters of carrion’. I wonder if this menu offering will shift the opinions of the abstainers?
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February:17:2010 - 10:17
Interesting about the lobster thoughts…Bahraini’s love their shell fish and are only a hop skip and a lobster dive away from the shores of Saudi…hmmmm?
February:17:2010 - 11:04
I think it is all a ham sandwich and I don’t care about enriched uranium. She lost if she was trying to so some type of convincing that Iran is the enemy IMO. I want to F-in drive.
Maybe I will believe her if she can pull some of her weight in that area.
I think she was forced to read a script and was unhappy with her script.
February:17:2010 - 12:09
Omg! I was rite there….why does the freaking media always focus on that junk. Hilary clinton said sooo many nice things abt the muslim world…and education being enhanced in the muslim world. She came to saudi to show that they are trying to keep peaceful relationships with saudi’s and get rid of the stereo types the media has created. N WTF is up with the whole lobster thing!? Seriously get a life
February:17:2010 - 12:10
I’ve never met a Saudi that won’t eat lobster for religious reasons. I never heard of it. I guess I need to get out more.
I know several people that were at the event- and was supposed to go myself but had a last minute conflict. Everyone enjoyed it- she sidestepped questions on US funding of Israel with ease, as do all Secretaries of State, and though it started very late, people were not allowed to leave and use the restroom- which was the biggest problem I heard about. They seemed to enjoy her- certainly more than Karen Hughs!
February:17:2010 - 14:12
Media tends to go toward entertainment now-a-days, it seems.
I pointed to the ‘lobster thing’ solely because many Saudis seem to think it haram. Clearly, not Jeddawis; probably just a Nejdi thing.
February:17:2010 - 14:20
Arab News and the WaPo were the only papers I could find to report that Clinton said:
“Iran has funded terrorists that have launched attacks within other countries, including the kingdom.”
That’s a heady charge. Was she referring to the Houthis or what?
The more substantive WaPo article is here:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/16/AR2010021603568.html?hpid=topnews
February:17:2010 - 15:28
I think the reference was to the Al-Khobar bombing in 1995/6 (don’t remember which year). That attack was associated with a Saudi wing of Hezbollah, though there is dispute about it.
February:17:2010 - 15:51
I don’t know about her hair or lobster, although the Nejdis are certainly far away from the coasts and seafood of any sort.
Regarding her position on Iran, this represents a curious inversion in Washington of usual positions. It is usually the case that the State Department is the dovish department, while the DOD and intel communities (or parts of it) are more hawkish, with many a president and National Security Adviser having to deal with such ongoing entrenched debates.
However, in this administration things may have gotten turned around, and it appears that Hillary may well be more hawkish on Iran than others in the administration, with most of the intel establishment, as well as most of the DOD, lacking enthusiasm for going to war with Iran. This echoes that Hillary took a harder line in the campaign than Obama, and she may be looking to a future political career to the WH with her position.
February:17:2010 - 16:15
Actually shellfish are not haram and are sold and eaten all over Saudi. Go to any seafood restaurant in Riyadh and you’ll find shrimp, lobsters and clams. In the supermarket we even have those rolls of lobster fillet made fresh!
What is taught is that it is prohibited to eat pork products and predators i.e. meat eating animals like alligators, lions…
February:17:2010 - 17:13
I’m not the one you are arguing with
.
February:17:2010 - 17:18
I’m not arguing at all. I was just giving my viewpoint.
February:18:2010 - 00:29
The U.S. should get off the “funding terrorist” bandwagon—Saudi money also funds terrorists–(Iraq) If they don’t want to appear stupid–they should find another reason to go to war with Iran than terrorism—though I would reccommend they also avoid the WMD route–that turned into a fiasco in Iraq.
February:18:2010 - 05:23
Amen Anon! Amen Bro. or Sis. whichever one you are
February:18:2010 - 13:43
Kessler’s article should have been in the Post’s Style section, though I imagine the thought might mortify him.
There is nothing “trivial” in the pomp sovereigns and their diplomats employ to woo foreigners. Hilary Clinton is wooed with lobster and luxury in Saudi Arabia. From what I have seen I imagine that when she is received at the Israeli embassy in D.C. someone has to scrounge up a chair and she’s offered a plate of raw cut vegetables.
A democratic leader relies on the votes of the people for legitimacy. A monarch secures his legitimacy by gathering good servants at home and making powerful friends abroad. How often do democratic leaders or their representatives lose sight of this and let their desire for “good treatment” mar their judgment?
February:18:2010 - 14:05
Really, I think it takes more than a sumptuous meal to bend a diplomat’s will, no? Now, cynically, I’ll assume everyone has a price. I doubt that Clinton’s price comes as cheaply as a lobster or two. As a multi-millionaire, she can buy all the lobster her heart could desire. I likely have a price, but it comes with about eight zeros behind the first significant digit.
February:18:2010 - 14:11
Why would bribery be necessary when splendor and hospitality suffice?
February:18:2010 - 14:21
I imagine the Israeli Embassy does better than that. And I don’t think the Saudi’s can woo Madame Secretary just with food and luxury.
February:18:2010 - 15:39
The wooing usually starts long before an official rises to the top – by then, such things are expected.
As for what the Israeli Embassy does, note that John did not dispute my characterization.
February:18:2010 - 16:29
I didn’t know that was particularly noteworthy- but noted (no offense John)
February:18:2010 - 18:42
Well, I haven’t been to a lot of Israeli Embassy functions, but I certainly wasn’t limited to rabbit food!
February:18:2010 - 18:44
Oh, please… we’re not all rubes. And even rubes recognize over-the-top when they see it. I got to experience a lot of reporters’–and bureaucrats’–first views of Saudi opulence. I assure you, envy and desire were not the prevailing attitude.
February:18:2010 - 18:47
I found it interesting because I’d heard such divergent opinions in the KSA. In trying to give an accurate picture of the Kingdom through this blog, it’s useful for me to have accurate data. That’s all.
February:18:2010 - 20:31
I always find it tacky when someone participates as a guest and then complains about the efforts of the host being too grand, and trying to demean them, reporter for the Washington Post or no.
I was really pleased to read this post, in part because I haven’t had a chance to follow this visit in the news media. I did find the Arab News and Saudi Gazette articles substantive; and I am pleased she visited Dar Al-Hekma College, as it seems from its website and the discussions I have had with Maha Noor Elahi, blogger, and professor there, that it is a very worthwhile college, with excellent collaborations with others around the world, and very much attempting to be in the spirit of Wellesley College–to offer excellence in university education to women.
The nuclear blah blah I was less interested in, and lobster gives me a migraine even if I do believe it is halal according to most Muslims. However, the OIC appointment and visit was another bright spot for me. The information given by the appointee and in the article argues for a genuine shift in policy and attitude that bodes better than the previous current.
As one who read Madeleine Albright’s biography I seem to recall that she was not required to wear a head cover as was allowed to “stand with the men” in Saudi. She also remarked how gracious and respectful of her position the Saudis were.
Hopefully more good things will come of Obama’s Cairo “manifesto”, without being naive about the challenges ahead.
Thanks for putting this compilation together.
February:18:2010 - 22:21
I thought not eating shellfish was a Jewish practice. All the Muslims I have met have no objection to eating any variety of shellfish or fish as they say Halal rules don’t apply to these. In fact, when they don’t get Halal meat, fish and shellfish are what they go for. Perhaps lobsters were served precisely because Hillary Clinton is not a Jew – it was a recognition of that aspect.
I feel more and more prominent women visiting to Saudi Arabia should keep their head uncovered. They should also wear skirts and trousers and make up. This will perhaps drive the point home with the authorities that they are not supposed to enforce their restrictive rules on foreigners.
February:18:2010 - 22:28
John,
Eight zeros after 1 is not too much of money. Even a Third World country like India can buy you. Better raise your price – unless you want to keep yourself in the “saleable” category!
But it seems Saudis don’t have to buy the Americans – they already have them as true friends. Even when the Saudis are not friends of the Americans, the latter remain their true and loyal friends.
I am talking about the State-level friendship of course. On the popular level, there seems to be no friendship. Saudis should begin treating common Americans to lobster dinners rather than wasting them on Hillary Clinton, who is already in the “friend” category.
John,
You get excluded from the lobster dinners for common American people – you are already in the “Friends of Saudis category!”
February:18:2010 - 23:32
Besides, even I can afford lobster from time to time… just had lobster Tuesday night, actually!
February:19:2010 - 00:14
John @ 15 are you saying you can be bought?
We (well at least I) don’t want you to sell yourself out. We can lavish you with gifts. Put up a paypal account link on your web and we’ll call it “Gifts for John”.
I can’t see you being auctioned off though!
February:19:2010 - 01:36
Sparky,
Ordinarily he wouldn’t, but you know he wants to buy that stylish and expensive car! Maybe everyone can contribute money into his Paypal account for that.
John,
Since you are a long-standing member of the “Friends of Saudis” Club, how about beginning with the Saudi royals contributing to your PayPal account for your new car? I guess after that mere mortals like us won’t have to make any contribution! I hope there are some Saudi royals reading this page.
February:19:2010 - 02:31
Let’s just say I could be sorely tempted with a figure in the hundreds of millions…
February:19:2010 - 02:31
Well, that means I’d have to open a PayPal account…
February:19:2010 - 04:06
Open one and see how much money does or doesn’t pour in. It wouldn’t hurt to try
You might get a gift with strings attached like put the gag on “so and so” LOL
February:19:2010 - 06:25
With hundreds of millions as the goal, the strings have to be made of solid gold studded with diamonds, with tags saying 5 years of free vacation in a sea-side Florida resort to all contributors who are not Saudi royals! food and entertainment complimentary from John the beneficiary.
February:19:2010 - 08:03
With that kind of money, I’d open my own resort… discounts for all regular commenters, naturally.
February:19:2010 - 09:20
Oh, please… we’re not all rubes. And even rubes recognize over-the-top when they see it.
I think it is very difficult for people to realize when their judgment has been so corrupted. It isn’t something people like to admit, though sometimes it is hinted at. For example, in Churchill’s memoirs he characterizes Saudi Arabia as an ally in WWII, yet rather than list the reasons why he talks about the magnificent gifts presented to him and his wife by the King, and his embarrassment that the gifts they had purchased for him were comparatively puny.
That doesn’t mean KSA wasn’t an ally. But it does indicate what was foremost in Churchill’s mind, doesn’t it?
February:19:2010 - 09:29
Or it could be that that was all he could think of at the moment. While an ally, Saudi Arabia didn’t actually do very much toward the war effort in WWII. It became an ally rather late in the game. I can’t think of a single thing the Brits got from the KSA during the war; the US at least got the air base in Dhahran for a contracted period of time.