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

Scroll down for the State Department report

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.

There are strict rules about the acceptance of gifts by public officials but when it comes to foreign leaders, diplomatic concerns take priority. For each of the gifts, the reasons cited for the acceptance of the gift was listed as "non-acceptance would cause embarrassment to donor and U.S. Government." By law, officials are required to turn such gifts over to the U.S. government, even the brown leather Hermes saddle given to President Bush by French President Nicolas Sarkozy.

You can read the entire report here:

2009-15022_PI -

Comments

[maggiee]

I think someone has a crush!

[wandajbrn]

Oh yea, he got some pootang!!! He probably put a flag over her head and said he did it for his country.
I know I would have to put something over her head to cover that mug!!! DIamonds are a girls best friend!!! Especially when your are Sec of State!!!!

Wanda
Mississippi

[AlligatorShuz]

You funny but it soes appear thatQuaddafi had a crush on Condi and he wanted some...

[NoWMDs]

The Lybians like to eat rice

[Bude]

Congratulations on your engagement Condi! I'm so happy for you. I think they make a great couple. I'll be looking for the wedding pictures in People magazine.

[Genep34]

Yes another leader she can enable.

[totaldisbelief]

Maybe he was hoping to "get lucky" with Condi.

[Bude]

I heard he was laying pipe in Libya!

[Marnie1]

I believe that by law those "gifts" belong to the people of the United States.

[doawkins]

He has been paid back. Most of you do not know Ghadafi is a huge stakeholder in FIAT. Obama gave them Chrysler. We have known his stake for years. Even 20 years ago our military wouldn't buy mowers from fiat because of who owned fiat. Now the Muslims' company was given Chrysler. Daimler paid 70 billion for chrysler. Fiat and the UAW got a free gift.

[sweetwilly]

giving books to bush is a total waste unless they are written in all monosyllabic words.

[Rondo]

I'm sure he got the comic book version condensed to three panels out of respect to George's limited attention span.

[Archivist1000]

It's interesting to know what gifts were given by who to who blah blah blah .... too bad so many people on here can't READ and see a scandal where there is none.

Gift giving is a normal part of foreign visits.... no 'story' here.

[pfc1369]

And some can't write: by whom, to whom, son.

[RadicalRepublican]

Sensationalism at its finest. This happens with diplomats regularly. If's only on HuffPo because it's Condi.

[Chubbster]

"In its final months in office, the Bush administration made out pretty well in odd and exotic gifts..."
This just bs written by someone looking for their angle. The gifts are symbolic. Condi doesn't get to keep the gifts and I'm sure the Obama family has already received plenty of gifts by now too and they dont keep them either.

[MyThought]

I look at childish comments here - talk about lack of maturity and intelligence......sigh....

[rte148]

lighten up Francis

[edmond dantes]

So a low, mid, or even high level government employee must adhere to strict policies on receiving gifts (due to reasonable concerns about conflict of interest and bribery), but members of the President's cabinet do not? And they get to keep the gifts? That's just pathetic.

[Chubbster]

and not true.

[edmond dantes]

What isn't true?

[Archivist1000]

edmond: can't you READ? Unless you know of gifts that were received and not declared or turned in, there is nothing to indicate that the rules were not followed by Rice and/or bush.

Dignitaries give/receive gifts all the time. It's how it's 'done' ... nothing new here.

[edmond dantes]

Yes, I can read. Where in my comment did I claim that rules were violated? I understand that Rice and other "dignitaries" followed the rules. I also understand that this is nothing new. My problem is that the rules themselves are deeply flawed.

[Monrocsol]

I would not give that B*tch a rusted pin.

[ntmessage]

So he knows how to "dress up his girl in bling". Is there something wrong with that?
(Sarcasm alert)

[Donns]

There is a name for women who do certain things for profit.

[RadicalRepublican]

Human?