Yes I Obama bowed

I have to admit, being the President of the United States of America is harder than ever when you happen to be a black brother with a Muslim father. Just the other day at the G20 summit I ran into the old king Abdulla Al Saud of Saudi Arabia and out of respect for this leader more than twice as old as I am, I tried to be more friendly to the monarch of the biggest producer of oil and shock hand with a revering bow. Minutes later, the Internet was swarming with irrational commentary about me lying about my true religion and sucking up to the fundamentalist Muslims. I would never imagine the same reaction if I had done the same with Israel's president Shimon Peres. How very degenerate of us Westerners to judge people on their backgrounds rather than what they are.

Now, I would like to say one more thing, Arab monarchs are not normally greeted by their subjects with a bow. Traditionally, they are either kissed on the nose or the shoulder and rarely on the right hand. So the bow dose not mean anything in this situation other than respect and appreciation. I have clearly invented the move out of respect and appreciation. The Saudi monarch is a very valuable ally when it comes to combating the financial crisis and terrorism as well as making peace in the middle east. We all appreciate his peace initiative although we are not yet adopting it. I will not be bothered the least with people trying to twist everything I do just for the fun of it.

I have greater things to attend to. The world's economy, security and peace needs all my energy now more than ever. North Korea is trying our patience and if we appear paralysed, soon Iran will follow. And who will stick with us in this dilemma? Our allies. We have to mend all the wrong things of the past, put down our arrogance aside and see the world as it is, and if that means changing the way we treat our allies to one of respect, so be it.