Dec 16 2008
Iraqi Journalist Throws Shoes at Bush; Becomes Hero of the Arab World
President Bush concluded his two day trip to Afghanistan and Iraq yesterday after meeting with Afghan President Hamid Karzai. Bush reportedly assured Karzai that the incoming Obama administration would be as reliable as his own had been in supporting the Afghan presidency, even as violence has sharply risen. The visit to Afghanistan followed a secret Sunday trip to Iraq where Bush met with US troops and boasted that the so-called surge strategy was “one of the greatest successes in the history of the United States military.†He also met with Iraqi Prime Minister al-Malaki and welcomed what he viewed as the progress of the Status of Forces Agreement, albeit cautioning that the Iraq war was not over. But, Bush’s farewell visit to the two countries most affected by his administration’s foreign policy was marked by an incident that has taken the Arab and Muslim world by storm – the image of an Iraqi journalist who hurled his shoes at Bush. Muntadhar al-Zaidi, a 28 year old who attended the press conference shouted, “this is a farewell kiss, you dog. This is from the widows, the orphans and those who were killed in Iraq,” as he hurled his shoes towards the President. Bush was quick to dodge, and though he missed his intended target , al-Zaidi’s gesture has resonated with millions of Iraqis who marched to demand his release from prison.
GUEST: As’ad Abukhalil, author of several books on the Mideast including “The Battle for Saudi Arabia: Royalty, Fundamentalism, and Global Power,” Professor in the Department of Politics at California State University, Stanislaus. Abu Khalil’s blog is called the Angry Arab News Service online at angryarab.blogspot.com.
Watch the video of the “shoe throwing incident” here:
4 Responses to “Iraqi Journalist Throws Shoes at Bush; Becomes Hero of the Arab World”
he deserve it
I am sorry for Muntadhar al-Zaidi.
Once again you have showd off your undemocratic primitive behavior .
Normal free thinking people know Saddam would killed the idiot .
The best story of the week. This reporter, who risked his freedom, spoke for many millions around the world, when he called Bush to task for his lies and crimes against humanity. Kudos to al Zaidi. Hopefully, he will be released upon Obama’s inauguration in January of 2009.
I think tthis was the FUNNIEST thing I’ve seen on the news in years, even as an AMERICAN citizen you have to laugh, I hope this becomes a new trend to welcome Bush where ever he may attend in public. If there are any video game designers out there? here is your golden opportunity, can you imagine a game in Wii, where you could throw your shoes at BUSH, or pretend to be BUSH, and duck as public throws shoes(and anything else at you!) The situations could be endless providing hours of entertainment and improving your throwing and ducking skills with offering different levels and bonus pionts if you hit the target, the game could constantly be upgraded, can you imagine advancing to include an OBAMA edition? This could be designed especially for snipers or assasination practice. What do you think?