Why NOT bow to King Abdullah?

So the President was at the G-20 meeting and bowed to King Abdullah, he bowed toward the king when they were setting up the class photo.

The White House made an excuse, but it was a bow. I saw it on YouTube. Presume it was a bow.

Why is that wrong? Do heads of state not bow to each other? Does the POTUS not bow? Are you not supposed to bow to the King of Saudi Arabia? (But other kings you do bow to?)

I would have expected I would know about this, but I am drawing a blank.

I think because a certain jingoistic sort wants people to recognize that Saudi Arabia is our vassal and not the other way around.

Otherwise I cannot think of a single reason.

Depending on the cultural context, bowing to a foreign head of state can mean two things:

  1. I acknowledge that you are my political leader
  2. I greet you cordially

#2 is no problem for an American head of state, #1 is very much a problem. I don’t know anything about bowing in Saudi Arabia: would two equals bow to each other? Did the king bow back to Obama?

I wouldn’t go that far. I’d just say that Americans are very sensitive to anything that might imply that their place in the world isn’t where they think it is, and for our leader to acknowledge another through obeisance implies that the US serves Saudi Arabia.

Obama’s not a monarch, so it’s not really appropriate to bow to him. The King would have returned a bow to, say, the Queen of England (…Scotland, Wales, Northern Island and the British Commonwealth).

Slight hijack – did King Abdullah return favor in some way (a return bow, shaking hands, etc.)? The king may not be obliged to do so … wasn’t sure how the etiquette played out.

My interpretation was consistent with my understanding that the US flag is never flown in a “lower” position than any other nation’s flag. (Well, in diplomatic type situations, not Olympic medal ceremonies.) For instance, in some situations it is common for visiting countries to allow their flag to be displayed lower than or behind their host’s flag, or to dip their flag as a sign of respect when passing a head of state in review. My understanding is that the US refuses to do that. I may be mistaken, but I don’t think I am.

Impresses me as a somewhat foolish and unnecessary show of arrogance.

So similarly, for Obama to bow to another head-of-state, no matter how strong the tradition in a foreign country, would be viewed by some Americans as an undesireable indication of fealty or subservience. And heaven forbid we should ever suggest that we were not superior (equal is not good enough) to everyone else in all respects! :rolleyes:

I think it was just more shit cooked up by the right wing extremists to try to smear Obama. The guy’s a king and the head of state, so you show him a little respect, so what? I don’t have a problem with Obama bowing to any king or queen

I’m guessing that some of the people who complained about how Barack Obama disgraced America by bowing to a King are the same ones who complained about how Michelle Obama disgraced America by not curtsying to a Queen.

I have a vague impression that foreign monarchs don’t bow to each other unless one state is a vassal or client state of the other. Could be wrong though. Certainly the WH was pretty resistant to calling it a bow, even though it’s pretty clear that was what it was. I don’t think they would have denied it if it wasn’t a faux-pas of some sort.

That’s a pretty good point, although Barack is a head of state himself and Michelle is not.

I haven’t heard any complaints like that, but an American citizen is not supposed to curtsy to any king or queen.

Where do you get this info from?

Americans should probably recognise and appropriately greet foreign heads of state.
Since the US does not have Kings/Queens/God-Emperors/whathaveyou, it is not at all inappropriate to refuse to defer to some foreign states cultural conception of same. But it could be polite to do so.

Americans don’t bow. We shake hands. For an American to bow signifies that he is going above and beyond normal protocol to show respect for a person. As President, he speaks for all of us and by him bowing, it is the United States bowing, if you will.

I can’t think of a reason to bow to a middle eastern king who subjects his people, especially women, to those terrible conditions.

That is also coupled with the fact that Americans are getting a bit tired of Obama’s constant ass kissing to the Muslim world.

Sure, we don’t blame all Muslims for 9/11, and want to get along with everyone. We know that. We’ve been saying that twice a day and three times on Sunday ever since then. The only Muslims who don’t believe that are the terrorists themselves and you won’t convince them otherwise by showing weakness.

Here, for one.

I wouldn’t bow to any king. Why should Obama?

This is why you have never been invited to the palace.

I suspect that there are numerous reasons that supersede that one. However, if bowing were a requirement, I wouldn’t go if invited.

Just to satisfy my curiosity, how would it be enforced?

WAG here as to reasons for the perception that POTUSes shouldn’t bow to kings:

  1. The US was born in a revolt against a monarch in particular and monarchy in general, so at the outset, there was probably a relatively fervid anti-monarchical sentiment that has sort of worked its way into the American worldview … “kings ain’t the boss of us.”

  2. More generally, because the US started out as colonies, there’s always been a certain preoccupation with asserting sovereignty.

  3. Good old-fashioned American exceptionalism and jingoism.

This is a right-wing manufactured controversy. Ive seen presidents and other high-level officials bow to Asians all the time, but when its a Muslim, well, its suddenly manufactured outrage time.

The President typically follows local rules of etiquette. Your sudden concern about all this and all the rationalizing in this thread defending the right-wing positions shows us how powerful right-wing media is.