I enviously read about all of the fantastic jewelry Condoleezza Rice received from Arab governments in the past year. The gifts are worth at least $316 million‚ and that's with the U.S. foreign policy being wildly unpopular. According to the Associated Press:
In January, Jordan's King Abdullah II gave Rice an emerald and diamond necklace, ring, bracelet and earrings estimated to be worth $147,000, according to the State Department's annual inventory of such items released Monday just in time for Christmas.
The king and his wife, Queen Rania, also gave Rice a less expensive necklace and earrings along with a jewelry box valued at $4,630, the document shows.
Not to be outdone, King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia presented Rice with a ruby and diamond necklace with matching earrings, bracelet and ring worth $165,000 in July. The inventory also includes a $170,000 flower petal motif necklace the Saudi monarch gave to Rice in 2005, which the department says was not previously disclosed.
I was just about ready to take the plunge and sign up for the Foreign Service exam with the full intention of climbing up the ranks to the top position. As Madam Secretary, I would have the unique opportunity to spread American values around the world while collecting world jewelry. Who could ask for anything more? Alas, I learned that Rice has to hand everything over to Uncle Sam before she leaves office. Bummer.
