Lots of debate and media coverage preceded and followed President Trump's visit to the Saudi kingdom. Anxieties and expectations filled the air. Trump, who has been behaving like a royal frat boy all his life, was visiting Saudi royalty as his first official overseas visit.
In this, Trump was simply keeping with the American presidential tradition of escaping to the Middle East, literally or figuratively, when there's trouble at home.
Trump is escaping the Russian connection investigation. Richard Nixon escaped to Egypt during Watergate. Jimmy Carter escaped his whole dreadful term by striking a peace deal between the Israelis and Palestinians. And of course Bill Clinton escaped to negotiate still another peace between Israel/Palestine and to bomb a Sudanese drug factory during the Monica scandal.
In his speech about Islam, Trump lectured the Saudis about Islam. Of course, neither he nor anyone else will attempt to lecture the Jewish state about Judaism. Both the Saudi kingdom and Israel use religion to support their state.
Most talk in the media during this trip has been about nonissues — what Melania was going to wear (orange leaving the U.S., black arriving to greet the Saudis, white in Israel). The questions were raised: Is she going to cover her head, would Trump bow to the king, can he dance holding a sword, and so on.
But the issue that got most of the attention in Western and Arab media was Trump's thumps-up hand gesture.
Politico's Annie Karni noted that President Trump "may need to rein in his favorite gesture — the thumbs-up — during his trip to Saudi Arabia." Briefing materials from the U.S. embassy, after all, noted that the "gesture is considered rude," reported the Washington Post.
The embassy note listed various cultural taboos that Trump should watch during the visit — don't point, don't show the sole of the shoe, etc. Here again, we have Americans treating Arabs like children who need help and discipline.
