Libya's Qaddafi Gave Condi Rice $212,000 In Gifts, Including A Diamond Ring

The Huffington Post | Cara Parks
First Posted: 06-24-09 08:16 PM | Updated: 06-24-09 09:39 PM

In its final months in office, the Bush administration made out pretty well in odd and exotic gifts from foreign leaders - including diamond jewelery, a taxidermied lion, and Israeli bike shorts.

One of the most generous gift-givers was Libya's Moamar Qaddafi, who seemed particularly grateful for former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's visit to Tripoli last year, giving her gifts with a total value of $212,225, including a diamond ring and a locket with his own picture inside, according to a newly-released State Department report.

The gifts sometimes show familiarity with the interests of the receiver. President George W. Bush, for example, a known biker, received mountain bikes from two leaders (Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany and Prime Minister Janez Jansa of Slovenia) while Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert gave Bush the aforementioned shorts, decorated with Bush's name and Israeli flags.

Often, however, the gifts were symbolic, if opulent, of the donor nation. Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej, of Thailand gave the President a series of books, including the title, "Glorious Celebrations of the Reign: Celebrations of the 60th Anniversary of His Majesty the King's Accession to the Throne." The lion came from Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/06/24/libyas-qadaffi-gave-condi_n_220496.html

Cause Merkel was hoping he'd fall on his head!

:P

Extra thick and crunchy.

So is she wearing the locket next to her heart?

"Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej, of Thailand gave the President a series of books, including the title, "Glorious Celebrations of the Reign: Celebrations of the 60th Anniversary of His Majesty the King's Accession to the Throne."

Sundaravej did not know that one does not graduate to this level of reading from "My Pet Goat?"