The symbolism of a sword

What do you see in this photo of President Bush wielding a Saudi sword - a playful moment, or a symbol of unspeakable atrocities?

Last year, the House of Saud conducted at least 136 public beheadings using a sword like this. Condemned convicts are brought into a courtyard, hands tied, and forced to bow before an executioner, who swings his sword while onlookers cry, "Allahu Akbar!" (God is great).

The Saudis decapitate criminals, apostates, foreigners, homosexuals, Christians, women, and even children. Many of those who are beheaded are found guilty without due process, using shoddy evidence. The "convicted" criminal is injected with a cocktail of drugs in order to prevent the decapitated body from scurrying around and spraying blood all over the audience.

So here is our president, holding a sword just like the ones used by Saudi executioners to decapitate homosexuals, Christians, women, and children. The same president who invaded and occupied Iraq even though the House of Saud helped to finance the 9/11 attacks. The same president who preaches peace and democracy while peddling $20 billion worth of weapons and bombs to one of the least peaceful, most undemocratic countries on earth. The same president who himself ordered a record number of executions while he was governor of Texas.

Again: a playful moment, or a symbol of unspeakable atrocities?

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