Bush, "who likes short meetings & early bedtimes," has "opulent picnic" w/ Abu Dhabi's crown prince

[Amerigo Vespucci]

Food, falcons: A desert delight for Bush

In Desert Encampment, Bush Finds Plenty of Food, Falcons

ANNE GEARAN
AP News

Jan 13, 2008 14:28 EST

President Bush followed up a mild lecture about expanding democracy among the Mideast's comfortable dynasties with an opulent picnic at the desert playground of one of the region's wealthy leaders.

Bush traded his suit for a casual jacket and took a helicopter as close as he could get to this remote encampment where Abu Dhabi's crown prince, Sheik Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, raises horses and prize falcons. His motorcade bumped over sand dunes for the last few miles, ending up at a tent pitched high on a wind-swept crest.

And what a tent.

A tent with thick carpets, pillows for lounging, blazing lanterns, and food. Lots and lots of it, from bread with honey to grilled meats and sweets, all served by uniformed staff.

Before the feast with a small group of White House aides and Emirati elite, the crown prince showed the president around. Next to carpets laid on the sand stood small pedestals, each stuck in the sand like a beach umbrella and each holding a magnificent falcon.

At his host's urging, Bush hoisted one of the birds, using a protective mitt, and held it as the news cameras whirred. When the bird shifted suddenly, a startled Bush jumped slightly, then recovered.

"You're making him nervous," Bush told the assembled media. "He never had a press conference before."

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice trailed her boss and kept her distance from the fierce-looking birds.

"I'm not good with animals," she was heard to remark. A few minutes later, however, she, too, was holding a bird, though not for long.

Bush, who likes short meetings and early bedtimes, spent more than three hours at the tent encampment as a gray sky turned dark under a dramatic moon. Although Bush overstayed his scheduled early evening departure, by Arab standards he left early.

http://www.rawstory.com/news/mochila/Food_falcons_A_desert_delight_for_B_01132008.html

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. All I can say is...

:puke:

[acmavm]

2. Yep. A luxurious desert tent filled with all kinds of delicacies and exoctic

falcons is the kind of place where I'd go if I was going to spread the message of 'democracy' in the Middle East. I bet Abu Dhabi's crown prince, Sheik Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan will hop right on it.

:sarcasm: