AS CONDOLEEZZA Rice prepares to leave office, she can contemplate the riches that might have been. Last year, she was given more than $300,000 in jewels from the kings of Jordan and Saudi Arabia alone.
The disclosure of the wealth that rained down on Dr Rice when she went on Middle Eastern tours was made in a list of official gifts to Bush administration figures from foreign leaders.
Dr Rice proved to be the most popular object of overseas largesse. Last January, she was given an emerald and diamond necklace, ring, earrings and bracelet from King Abdullah of Jordan, thought to be worth about $147,000. The bad news is that under federal law she won't be able to keep any of it.
George Bush received a somewhat more modest, and more eclectic, set of presents last year. But the most exciting present went to Gen Peter Pace, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, who got an M900 machine gun, as used by anti-narcotics troops in Colombia. ( Guardian)