Quite an Insult

15 December 2008



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Arab Journalist Throws Shoes at Bush

President Bush meant for his surprise trip to Iraq-Nam to be a victory lap. Instead at a press conference, journalist Muntadar al-Zaidi stood up and threw two shoes at Mr. Bush. The American president tried to down play it, saying “It's like going to a political rally and having people yell at you. It's like driving down the street and having people not gesture with all five fingers.” And that's the point.

After years of war, a great many Iraq-Namese are annoyed with the president and his failing policies. They want their country back. The Green Zone government played hard ball with the US over the Status of Forces Agreement, and the Busheviks caved. The US must have all troops out of Iraq-Nam by 2012 – no debate, no extensions, no negotiations. Yet, that is still years off, and many in that part of the world dread the time that must still pass.

Mr. al-Zaidi, a correspondent for Cairo-based Al-Baghdadia television, rose during the press conference and tossed both shoes saying, “This is a gift from the Iraqis. This is the farewell kiss, you dog! ' and "This is from the widows, the orphans and those who were killed in Iraq." Shoes are considered ritually unclean in Islam, and dogs are no different to followers of the Prophet. Mr. Al-Zaidi couldn't have been more impolite short of actually hitting his mark.

He is now in custody, and the Green Zone government is investigating whether he was drugged or drunk and whether anyone paid him to do as he did. The same government has demanded an on-air apology for the incident. That isn't likely to happen any time soon.

According to the BBC, “The Cairo-based TV channel said Mr Zaidi should be freed because he had been exercising freedom of expression - something which the Americans had promised to Iraqis on the ousting of former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein. 'Any measures against Muntadar will be considered the acts of a dictatorial regime,' the firm said in a statement.”

Throwing shoes at heads of state, however, is not something done in civilized countries by journalists who understand they must not become part of the story. Mr. al-Zaidi committed an assault, and more importantly, brought his channel and journalism into disrepute. The ideal solution would be for the Iraq-Namese to expel him immediately, and then, let the matter die. Unfortunately, rallies in Sadr City in support of him suggest that he isn't the only person in that country who has had enough of Mr. Bush. It won't die quietly.

© Copyright 2008 by The Kensington Review, Jeff Myhre, PhD, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent. Produced using Fedora Linux.

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