41. Saudi Arabia. Mine is bigger than yours. A couple of weeks ago, Putin visited leaders in and near the Arabian Peninsula. A Russian website was keen on identifying what the local rulers drove. First, King Abdullah rode in the longer wheelbased Maybach 62.
42. Qatar. The Russian website then noted that Qatar's emir, always a junior partner in Arab politics and a mere thorn, albeit a rich and powerful thorn, to the House of Saud's back, has the SHORTER Maybach 57. Pobrecito.
43. Yemen. In a recent Frontline investigation of Al Qaeda, a reporter went to Yemen in search of clues. The only finding of note was that President Saleh rode in a silver Mercedes.
44. Jordan. In many instances, heads of state possess a number of cars. Some are for special events, others are for everyday commuting. King Abdullah II of Jordan is a car buff and owns many fine automobiles. He is rumored to own a Maybach. He is also very informal when it comes to his royal duties. He has been seen personally driving guests such as former Japanese PM Koizumi and Russian President Putin. A few years ago, he even gave the keys to his S500 to Colin Powell so Powell could drive to the airport himself.
45. Russia. Putin himself is also a car buff. Who can forget Putin driving Bush in his beloved 1956 Volga? For official state visits and celebrations, Putin's handlers dust off the ZIL 41052, a hand made relic of the Cold War era. Proving that Soviet industrial know-how was on par with the decadent West, this smooth-as-solk beast is mated to a 7.7 liter V8. But on regular commutes to and from work, Putin sticks to the more pedestrian Mercedes S-class.
46. Cuba. Likewise, Fidel also uses his ZIL for special occasions. When Jimmy Carter made a visit a few years ago, Fidel picked him up in a ZIL that was given to him by Brezhnev. But for day-to-day use, Fidel also tools around Havana in a Mercedes S-class. I wonder if Raul will do the same?
CKY
No comments:
Post a Comment