Scott Johnson writes:

The caption on the photo above reads:

LONDON – APRIL 1: The President of the United States Barack Obama (C back to camera) greets King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia (C) before the official G20 leaders photograph with Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace on April 1, 2009 in London, England. Obama is on his first trip to the UK as President and will be attending G20 world leaders’ summit dedicated to tackling the global financial crisis.

What’s wrong with this picture? Americans do not bow to royalty. In my view, when the royal is the ruling tyrant of a despotic regime, the wrong is compounded. Putting aside the breach of American protocol, It is akin to Jimmy Carter succumbing to Brezhnev’s infamous kiss at the signing of the arms accord in Vienna in 1979. It is a disgrace. As in Carter’s case, Obama’s supplicant attitude signifies his spirit. In this respect I distinguish it from George Bush’s otherwise embarrasing handholding with the the king.