President Bush met the ruler of Dubai's falcons. Photo by Silva
by Mark Silva
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates -- They served goat brains on the buffet in the hold for pool reporters here today, but I cannot directly report what it tastes like -- read on for a review.
Air Force One landed at Dubai at 10:54 am local. A gauntlet of military men, some in green uniform, some in white, lined up at the bottom of the stairs. Also men in robes, with the ruler of Dubai among them. A very large and very long gray hangar stood behind them.
Bush came down the stairs and greeted the ruler with a cheek kiss and the soldiers raised their rifles and clicked their heels on the tarmac as the POTUS and the ROD stepped through the line and toward limos.
The motorcade rolled from the palm and flower gardened airport under overcast skies and proceeded along a causeway past the downtown skyscape - with the towering bulding, Burj Dubai, the tallest building in the world, among the line of the modern city.
We passed an Ikea and an Ace hardware, a Volvo dealer and a Honda dealer. As we arrived at the sheikh's house, the Sheikh Saeed Maktoum House, named for the ruler from 1921 to '58, a traditional structure of coral covered with lime and plaster, we entered a courtyard covered with a tan tightly knit carpet, and there were large red Persian rugs laid out above the carpet, with wooden benches lined up facing the rugs.
As we were led in we saw Bush arriving from an interior door to the courtyard, where he was greeted by six young girls - they must have been under nine, because at nine they must go under cover and these girls were not covered but rather wearing bright gowns - half of them in fuchsia and half of them in turquoise.
"Hi girls," said Bush, arriving to their greeting, as they burst into song. Their hands were henna'd with designs and Bush remarked on their "beautiful hands."
After the song, two stepped forward with baskets of flowers and said "Welcome to Dubai."
The girls who greeted Bush and the ruler of Dubai are younger than nine, for at nine they must cover their heads.
President Bush and Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, ruler of Dubai, with the girls who greeted the ruler's visitor and then danced for them on Persian rugs.
A light drizzle fell, from cloudy skies with sunshine poking thru - a veritable Dubai sun-drizzle. Light light.
Bush returned to the interior of this home, which is a tan-colored structure with low towers at the corners, and we waited in the area of the wood benches on the Persian carpet, where Condi Rice came out and took a seat on one bench with the crown prince, Zayed, who had led the president on the tour of the Masdar posters in Abu Dhabi earlier today. Josh Bolten sat on a bench behind them, he with another fellow, and Steve Hadley sat with another fellow at a bench on the other side. In front of Hadley sat the ambassador, Sison, spelling correct in this pool, incorrect in last. A man came around with a wooden tray with fruit juices.
Rice took strawberry.
"It's my favorite thing," Rice told some poolers off to the side. "I learned on my first trip here."
Rice had the strawberry juice.
The secretary of state engaged in football banter and said, "I'm not going to the Super Bowl this year... It's too far."
Then, from behind them, out came Bush and the ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
They walked to the front bench in the center facing the rugs and now 12 girls, all dressed in the hot blue and pink gowns - fuchsia and turquoise, Dana Perino assures me - started dancing on the carpet before them.
They circled and swayed and made great flourishes to music, and the president smiled broadly, nodded his head to the rhythm and tapped his right black-shoed foot in decent timing. The dance lasted a while and Bush was beaming throughout.
"Shukran," Bush told the girls. Thank you.
The drizzle had ended by the dance's end, and then four robed men came out with hunting falcons on their arms - fabulous big birds of light brown tones with dark markings, and they approached Bush, who briefly took a bird on his arm and handed it back. "Beautiful birds," Bush said.
With this, we were led out and motorcaded to the cultural center past the famous Dubai creek, which was not active on this national holiday - declared so for the Bush visit.
Your pooler dubbed it Freedom Day.
At 11:45 we left the house and at 12:02 we arrived at the culture center, built in a simlar architecture, tan, with low towers.
We were led into a room where Bush sat in a circle with several others seated on piles of pillows, red, white and black, with giant metal pots of food laid out in the middle on the floor. A man across from Bush was speaking of bidness and Bush was smiling, but we weren't there long enough to make out the man's message.
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Comments
As a resident of the UAE for 13 years (and wide traveller of the whole Arabian Gulf), i can safely say that it is complete and utter rot that girls of 9 must cover. Where on earth did you get that bit of rubbish from?
Posted by: Elizabeth Jean | January 14, 2008 6:00 AM
On Day 1 there was confusion around as most of the roads were closed without prior announcement. Long jams were created around as people tried to find their way out.
On Day 2 publich holiday is declared. However most of the roads including Sheikh Zyed Road, expressway which connects Dubai with other Emirates, are closed and people who work outside Dubai have to take a day off.
Here is my take on this:
http://www.chowrangi.com/george-bush-visit-havoced-dubai.html
Posted by: Kashif | January 14, 2008 6:01 AM
Goat brains? I am so there!
Posted by: Huckabee Schmuckabee | January 14, 2008 6:07 AM
This ought to give all the flat liners a chuckle.
Posted by: Terry | January 14, 2008 6:51 AM
Terry,
Would that be EKG or EEG?
Posted by: Doug Zook | January 14, 2008 7:00 AM
I can see some stereotypes in the text, a clear reflection of the writer's expected ignorance. And the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi is called Sheikh Mohammad bin Zayed. Zayed was his father, the founder of the country.
Posted by: Jaber Mohammad | January 14, 2008 7:31 AM
You guys need to be educated a little bit about Dubai. I lived in Florida for 15 years.. and the problems we are facing back home in Florida and the rest of the USA are 10 times worse than anything in the middle east. Dubai is a very liberal state and virtually unknown to us uneducated Americans.
Posted by: Rishi Aggarwal | January 14, 2008 7:38 AM
Bring one of those goat brains home and give it to John E... that should double his IQ.
Posted by: ferd | January 14, 2008 8:23 AM
Is that my pet goat?
One less book to read!
Posted by: bill r. | January 14, 2008 8:53 AM
Why waste goat brains when you have Boy George at your disposal!
Posted by: Raving Loon | January 14, 2008 9:09 AM
Bill Clinton was basically treated like a rock star at every foreign visit.
It appears Boy George has found his nitch.Only he could be treated with such grace in the Middle East that gave us the 9/11 hijackers and have crippled the middle class by exploiting their oil prices since Bush/little dick gave them the green light.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) -- President Bush on Monday got a flavor of this cosmopolitan banking and business hub, whose glass skyscrapers and booming construction have turned it into the capital of Middle East bustle.
President Bush has lunch at the Dubai School of Government.
The soaring Persian Gulf city-state is Bush's second stop in the seven-state United Arab Emirates federation, following his gentle lecture on democracy in Abu Dhabi and an opulent picnic at a desert horse camp Sunday.
The Dubai visit is part of a trip aimed at invigorating Mideast peace talks and keeping pressure on Iran.
Even before Bush touched down in Dubai, he had an impact. The government declared Monday a national holiday and shut down many main roads and bridges.
We wing nuts are so proud of you Boy George!!!!
Posted by: Raving Loon | January 14, 2008 9:20 AM
Ferd, there is nothing that could double John E.'s IQ. He is brain dead.
Posted by: John D | January 14, 2008 9:34 AM
Those Arab terrorist supporters sure do love this President, wouldn't you say Bruce? Wonder when the next government run telethon to raise money for Islamic Jihad or Hamas will be held.
Posted by: Paul | January 14, 2008 10:07 AM
The hunting falcons- are they saker falcons?? Not a bird expert- . I have heard that certain falcons are mostly smuggled into certain middle eastern countries as they are not native species but migratory species to those regions. Kinda controversial especially with the ones considered by certain groups as endangered species who are captured for falconry.
Cool picture.
Posted by: i like them | January 14, 2008 10:59 AM
Those Arab terrorist supporters sure do love this President, wouldn't you say Bruce? Wonder when the next government run telethon to raise money for Islamic Jihad or Hamas will be held.
Posted by: Paul | January 14, 2008 10:07 AM
But wait Paul, I thought the 9/11 pilots were from Iraq? Gotta love King George...if your a terrorist!
Posted by: Bush Family Value$ | January 14, 2008 1:21 PM
Well, what can it hurt, maybe it will help...
Posted by: C.Morris | January 14, 2008 1:56 PM
I'm shocked that any journalist could actually visit Dubai and then write a story like this with a straight face - I'm more shocked that it was actually published.
Posted by: Adam | January 14, 2008 6:17 PM
Adam,
Yes, they are extremist anti democratic autocrats with no plans to change anything, but they are our extremist anti democratic autocrats with no plans to change anything.
It's called 'moral relativism'. Guess the Republics caught the bug, hey?
Posted by: C.Morris | January 14, 2008 8:19 PM
Adam.
PS.
Keep in mind, M. Silva is 'inside the bubble' on these trips.
There is value in seeing the world as GWB sees it; Complacent, assured, safe, insulated, protected, arrogant, condescending, clueless.
Posted by: C.Morris | January 14, 2008 8:22 PM
If pResident Doogie Howser ate a plate of goat brains, then he'd have more brains in his stomach than he has in his head!
Posted by: BC | January 14, 2008 10:13 PM
Dubai is going to be one of the major cities in the world. It is sophisticated, polite, safe, multi cultural tolerant, with a good climate for nine months of the year and tax free.
It is one of the best kept secrets. children do not have to cover..it is a choice thing for all and cuisine is international..anything you would like. In short a lovely city in which to live. A Canadian.
Posted by: P. Fowler | January 15, 2008 12:16 AM
What the heck is this. What happened to ARABS. What they are trying to show west that they are even worse in character and love to show off there women to west and see and enjoy. Sorry to say but this is not ISLAM. ALLAH is watching. What ever you think you have to face ALLAH one day.
Posted by: Muslim | January 15, 2008 5:57 AM
hey "MUSLIM", take it easy hot head. You should be angrier at the fact that they let that retard bush there to be entertained. Why doesn't he go to Iraq and see the people there and tell them why he raped their country.
Posted by: natedog | June 28, 2008 2:59 PM