Bush Dismisses Iraqi Journalist’s Shoe Insult: I Don’t Think This ‘Represents A Broad Movement In Iraq’
Bush Dismisses Iraqi Journalist’s Shoe Insult: I Don’t Think This ‘Represents A Broad Movement In Iraq’
Yesterday, Iraqi journalist Muntader al-Zaidi threw his shoes at President Bush and shouted, “This is a farewell kiss, you dog. This is from the widows, the orphans and those who were killed in Iraq.” Bush said that he was unfazed by the incident.
Afterward, Bush continued to dismiss the incident to reporters aboard Air Force One. He said that Zaidi’s actions were “bizarre” and had no larger significance:
Q Well, not to belabor the point too much, on this man, but I have a serious question about it. Obviously he’s expressing a vein of anger that exists in Iraq, and —
BUSH: How do you know? I mean, how do we know what he’s expressing? Who — [...] I’ve heard all kinds of stories. I heard he was representing a Baathist TV station. I don’t know the facts, but let’s find out the facts. All I’m telling you, it was a bizarre moment. [...]
I don’t think you can take one guy throwing shoes and say this represents a broad movement in Iraq. You can try to do that if you want to. I don’t think it would be accurate. … That’s exactly what he wanted you to do. Like I answered on your question, what he wanted you to do was to pay attention to him. And sure enough, you did.
Similarly, in an interview with ABC’s Martha Raddatz yesterday, Bush laughed off Zaidi’s actions as “amusing.” “I don’t know what his beef is,” said Bush. “But whatever it is I’m sure somebody will hear it.” Watch it:
Zaidi’s actions were not “bizarre” or “amusing.” In fact, they were “[t]wo of the worst insults in Islam.” Additionally, Zaidi is not a lone protester with his own radical “Baathist” agenda. Since the incident, thousands of Iraqis have taken to the streets to demand the release of Zaidi, who is now being interrogated by Iraqi authorities. These protesters include Shiites in Sadr City, who “are fed up with U.S. policy in the region” and calling Zaidi a “hero.” NPR reported that every single person they interviewed in Baghdad had “nothing but praise” for Zaidi.
Bush is still unable to grasp the “beef” that the Iraqi people have with him: their extreme frustration and unhappiness with the U.S. invasion and its subsequent mismanagement and occupation. Tellingly, one of the last high-profile shoe-throwing incidents occurred in April 2003, when Iraqis took their shoes and hit Saddam Hussein’s falling statue.
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God, I wish all of Baghdad would shower this asswhole with shoes, rotten eggs, vegetables, and hand grenades.
December 15th, 2008 at 11:50 am“I heard he was representing a B’aathist TV station.”
Would that be ‘Al-Foxnewzeera’?
December 15th, 2008 at 11:56 am“I Don’t Think This ‘Represents A Broad Movement In Iraq’”
George, there’s only one way to find out:
Go take a walk around the streets of Baghdad.
I dare you.
December 15th, 2008 at 11:58 amCan we test reality here ? What do you say we announce that Shrub is gonna walk down Main Street, Iraq at 3:00 tomorrow.
My guess is that we could collect enough shoes for the entire 3rd world in less than an hour.
You Betcha !
December 15th, 2008 at 11:59 amGuess George is not aware that thousands have marhed in Iraq supporting al-Zaidi and want him freed.
December 15th, 2008 at 12:00 pmA true bubble boy until the end.
unless Mr. Bush withdrew the case.
well, that’s never going to happen. Bush only pardons his friends who are criminals. Since this reporter has no money or small children to offer Bush for his pleasure, Bush will not be in a forgiving mood (even though he claims it is a “non-event”).
More amazing will be, after the ‘interrogations’ are over, that we discover he claims to be an al quida operative who was training for years in the art of deadly shoe-throwing, but Bushes deft and agile moves foiled the clever plot.
December 15th, 2008 at 12:00 pmlokidog Says:
Go take a walk around the streets of Baghdad.
Bush is afraid to walk down any street in America, much less Baghdad.
December 15th, 2008 at 12:01 pmBush and every member of his cabal should be pelted with garbage, offal, and feces when EVER any of them appear in public.
Their cars should be showered with shit wherever they go. They should be spattered with filth at every appearance.
They will NEVER suffer the punishments they so richly deserve. Ergo, they should be humiliated at every opportunity.
I will NEVER meet any Boosh supporter without spitting at their feet.
December 15th, 2008 at 12:02 pmCould this be the beginning of a new broad movement in America?
Let’s start throwing shoes at all polititians that display even a shred of the cluelessness that George has shown.
Muntazer Al-Zaidi displayed the bravery that I and all of America should have shown 8 years ago.
December 15th, 2008 at 12:04 pmBush: “I don’t know what his beef is”
Yeah, WTF, dude?! What did I ever do to your entire country? It’s like you’d think I killed someones sister or something! I’m totally taking you off my FaceBook friends list now, you douche!
December 15th, 2008 at 12:05 pm“I Don’t Think This ‘Represents A Broad Movement In Iraq’”
Bush: wrong AGAIN:
>>Iraqis protest for release of journalist
By QASSIM ABDUL-ZAHRA and OMAR SINAN – 5 hours ago
BAGHDAD (AP) — Thousands of Iraqis took to the streets Monday to demand the release of a reporter who threw his shoes at President George W. Bush, as Arabs across the Middle East hailed the journalist as a hero and praised his insult as a proper send-off to the unpopular U.S. president…<<
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hwK_CSpBxsNuVUEaDuOwmSSCiqGwD95347FO0
December 15th, 2008 at 12:06 pmvinylspear Says:
Could this be the beginning of a new broad movement in America?
Let’s start throwing shoes at all polititians that display even a shred of the cluelessness that George has shown.
I am pretty sure if an American were to do this it would mean prison time. I think this would be considered assault.
December 15th, 2008 at 12:07 pmBush doesn’t have a clue. Of course, he wanted attention to the fact that many people in Iraq dispise bushco. After eight years of being surrounded by “selected” participants, GWB doesn’t have a clue as to reason someone might disagree with him.
December 15th, 2008 at 12:08 pm“Boy, you got some dumba$$ all over your face son.”
December 15th, 2008 at 12:09 pmZaidi’s actions were “bizarre” and had no larger significance
wrong again Georgie porgy….this is a metaphor and now it will be seen that you are no longer untouchable by Iraqis, muslims and americans.
your days are over and all it took was some bravery by a lone shoe man.
December 15th, 2008 at 12:12 pmI am pretty sure if an American were to do this it would mean prison time. I think this would be considered assault.
Pretty much can sum up every response to your stupidity with one word:
So?
You’d think you and the crony-loving, no-bid contract having Haliburton fans would support this effort.
Think of all the prisons you could build.
Besides, of course such an act would be criminal, what are you, related to my wife? Try to focus on the MESSAGE, not the METHOD. Then maybe you’ll have a better chance at debating.
December 15th, 2008 at 12:14 pmThe New York Times reports that Zaidi’s future may rest in Bush’s hands
– - Well so far, Bush has done a bang up job promoting his Muslims As Martyrs program.
December 15th, 2008 at 12:14 pmThere is a certain irony in the fact that this incident occurred at the same time that findings of the Levin-McCain report on torture in Iraq are just beginning to leak out.
GDumbya’s cluelessness about the two size-10 insults that were hurled at him and equal to the general cluelessness that he displays about the facts that:
1) he is chiefly and ultimately responsible for the torture of prisoners in Guantanamo and Abu Graib
2) the avoidable and unnecessary destruction in Iraq has not been remediated by the $100 billion he has thrown at the reconstruction efforts
3) the mess that we are in today is overwhelmingly caused by his lack of diligence before 9-11; his lack of attention to diplomacy in general and the Israel/Palistinian peace process in particular; and his lack of competence most clearly demonstrated by (a) his decision to invade Iraq and (b) his inability to effectively occupy, stabilize and exit the conflict that he needlessly started in the first place.
December 15th, 2008 at 12:15 pmwrong again Georgie porgy….this is a metaphor and now it will be seen that you are no longer untouchable by Iraqis, muslims and americans.
E X A C T L Y !
I have a feeling Shrub will be spending the majority of his retirement hiding.
Reapings, meet the sowings.
December 15th, 2008 at 12:17 pmTracy__5 Says:
“He was taken into custody and reportedly was being held for questioning by Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s guards and is being tested for alcohol and drugs.”
______________
About time someone tested Botch for alcohol and drugs. Oh, you mean…
My bad, heh…
As for the other guy…
“Thousands took to the streets Monday, chanting, “Bush, Bush, listen well: Two shoes on your head.”
I guess you couldn’t hear them over all the GOOPers marching about shouting, “Put your shoes back on! Put your shoes back on!”
December 15th, 2008 at 12:19 pmAh, yes. Delusional to the end, eh, Chimpy??
December 15th, 2008 at 12:21 pmBush Dismisses Iraqi Journalist’s Shoe Insult: I Don’t Think This ‘Represents A Broad Movement In Iraq’»
– - So George, congratulations on surviving a shoeicide attack.
December 15th, 2008 at 12:22 pmKeep up the parade with those proud Peacock feathers displayed Shrub, as it was this combination of arrogance and ignorance for which the phrase “off with his head” was penned.
December 15th, 2008 at 12:23 pmtom Says:
1) he is chiefly and ultimately responsible for the torture of prisoners in Guantanamo and Abu Graib
____________
Botch and the GOOPers are currently in the process of learning that photos on the Internets are FOREVER. Those disgusting, hideously embarrassing Abu Ghraib sex torture photos will be Botch’s “enduring legacy”, for decades to come.
_____________
3) the mess that we are in today is overwhelmingly caused by his lack of diligence before 9-11…
_____________
Don’t forget his complete disdain for and indifference to the countless dead Iraqis he’s responsible for. Talk about monstrous.
December 15th, 2008 at 12:24 pmIf only they were hand grenades instead of shoes.
December 15th, 2008 at 12:24 pmKeltoi:
I think actual prison time would be debateable. Being as the action was politically motivated, it could be argued as a matter of free speech, and since no contact was made it was an attempt at some level of assault. If the ‘victim’ aggressively pusued it in court, the offender might do a short stint, but would most likely get a fine and a small probation. Of course, it WOULD entirely depend on the judge (a staunch republican judge would throw the book at him, and a staunch liberal judge would let him off easy). Reprocussions? Yes, but not serious prison time.
Now, for this poor fellow — I am certain he is experiencing ‘enhanced interrogation techniques’, which is way off board. He threw shoes (and missed). He COULD have thrown a lot of other things. If he WERE a terrorist/sympathiser he would have thrown something a bit more dangerous than a shoe. He was making a statement.
December 15th, 2008 at 12:26 pmInteresting decision to be made:
It appears that the action was a display of political dissent, which is protected by the constitution we imposed… sorry, that the Iraqis voted on, so in one way, the guy should be let free with minimal charges.
On the other hand, the dude threw something at the leader of another nation! I’m sure the Secret Service has mud on their faces, not only one but TWO shoes! If the guy had a knife, and better aim, Dick Cheney would be President right now.
Dissent is one thing, but attacking the leader(however odious) of another nation should have consequences.
December 15th, 2008 at 12:27 pmBrain cells diminishing quickly. Not that George ever demonstrated an overwhelming ability to “get it” on most issues happening around him. But this is pretty astonishing that he can’t pick up on something so blatantly obvious. They hate us, George, and mostly they hate you!
At this pace it looks like Laura will be spoon-feeding Georgie “Cream-O-Wheat” every morning before summer begins.
December 15th, 2008 at 12:27 pmIraq can have the Dog to do what they want with. A great place for your “retirement”, George. I’m sure you will be welcomed with flowers and chocolates.
December 15th, 2008 at 12:28 pmI Don’t Think This ‘Represents A Broad Movement In Iraq’
Again, displaying gross cultural ignorance with reference to the insult – In the Muslim world, according to Hume Horan, a former U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia, “to have the sole of the shoe directed toward one is pretty much the equivalent of someone in our culture giving you the finger.”
December 15th, 2008 at 12:29 pmTracy__5 Says:
So exactly where in the article TP does it say:
“NPR reported that every single person they interviewed in Baghdad had “nothing but praise” for Zaidi.”
It doesn’t, in the article, and TP doesn;t suggest that came from the article, but from the reporting!
In your brilliant ‘research’ you didn’t listen to the broadcast report ( at the top of the page) in which it is reported “every single person they interviewed in Baghdad had “nothing but praise” for Zaidi.”
Try again.
December 15th, 2008 at 12:29 pmraynman Says:
If the guy had a knife, and better aim, Dick Cheney would be President right now.
Now that is a very sobering thought….
December 15th, 2008 at 12:30 pmWaiting for the admission of your mistake, Tracy_5.
December 15th, 2008 at 12:30 pmI have a feeling that even Santa is going to be sending Georgie shoes this year.
December 15th, 2008 at 12:31 pmloser “journalist”.? O’Reilly? Hannity?
December 15th, 2008 at 12:32 pmDissent is one thing, but attacking the leader(however odious) of another nation should have consequences.
Not according to how we act/govern ourselves.
Shrub has yet to suffer the consequences of ANYTHING he’s fcuked up.
Pay attention dude…
December 15th, 2008 at 12:32 pmNettles Says:
Bush did all of us, critics and supporters alike, a great service by handling the situation in a calm and dignified manner.
It was a SHOE! A friggin SHOE!!! Let me see him duck a grenade and then act in a ‘calm and dignified manner”, and I might give him some props. My god, if you can’t act calmly after having a SHOE thrown at you I really don’t know what to say.
December 15th, 2008 at 12:32 pmIf Bush does not recognize that there is, indeed, a “broad movement” to the disdain Iraqis and others have for him and his policies, then he has learned NOTHING in the last eight years. His “intelligence” is no better today than it was in 2000. He is still fixing facts to fit the narrative he has for himself and his policies.
December 15th, 2008 at 12:33 pmDumbya should visit McCain’s favorite rug market and personally survey the citizens on this topic.
I don’t think he’d have ANY trouble understanding their “message” then.
December 15th, 2008 at 12:34 pmBush does not think there is a shoe movement in Iraq. !!
Laughable
December 15th, 2008 at 12:34 pmNo, I think most Iraqis would want to hurl other things at Bush’s head. Not just shoes.
December 15th, 2008 at 12:35 pmraynman Says:
Interesting decision to be made:
It appears that the action was a display of political dissent, which is protected by the constitution we imposed… sorry, that the Iraqis voted on, so in one way, the guy should be let free with minimal charges.
On the other hand, the dude threw something at the leader of another nation! I’m sure the Secret Service has mud on their faces, not only one but TWO shoes! If the guy had a knife, and better aim, Dick Cheney would be President right now.
Dissent is one thing, but attacking the leader(however odious) of another nation should have consequences.
It makes you wonder if they searched all the journalists before hand.
I don’t think you can look at the popularity of the leader as the basis of whether you enforce the law. What if he had thrown the shoes at Achmidinejad? If he doesn’t get any jail time at all, then people will feel they can throw stuff at any leader and not face consequences.
December 15th, 2008 at 12:36 pmWhich came first, the “monument” to the Shrub, or someone trying to knock his block off?
Greeted as heroes with flowers my a$$.
December 15th, 2008 at 12:36 pmThe judge told him that he might serve two years in prison or pay a fine for insulting a president of foreign country…
Bush is too stupid to realize he was insulted.
December 15th, 2008 at 12:36 pmI don’t know what his beef is
His relatives are packaged meat thanks to you, legacy boy.
December 15th, 2008 at 12:37 pm“Bush is too stupid…”
You can just stop RIGHT there Jay.
December 15th, 2008 at 12:37 pmCome on if he can not be expected to understand Shia from Sunni, you can’t expect him to understand the insults of a culture
December 15th, 2008 at 12:38 pmNo pretzels or shoes allowed at the Crawford Ranch.
December 15th, 2008 at 12:38 pmNeed some help Tracy_5?
http://www.npr.org/templates/player/mediaPlayer.html?action=1&t=1&islist=false&id=98254986&m=98254975
It’s at about 2:22 on the audio
Do let us know when you find it
December 15th, 2008 at 12:39 pmI hate to burst your bubble, but Bush understands exactly what’s going on. He just doesn’t care. That’s what happens when your MO is Ends justify the Means.
December 15th, 2008 at 12:40 pmWhile I certainly do not condone an act of violence (and throwing an object does qualify), I think the consequence this journalist receives should be equivalent to the consequence Bush receives for the immoral attack and illegal occupation of Iraq. “An eye for an eye”.
December 15th, 2008 at 12:40 pmNettles & Tracy: always around to defend the dumbest people on the face of the Earth.
December 15th, 2008 at 12:40 pmI get the feeling Bush thinks of non-Americans as munchkins.
December 15th, 2008 at 12:42 pm
July 6, George’s birthday, should henceforth be declared national Shoe Sale day. I know Rice will want to join in!
Commercial: Just show the video and at the end, cue the announcer: “Need shoes?”
December 15th, 2008 at 12:44 pmWith George being the mean little kid that he is, I fear that this man is probably going to pay for his actions with his life.
December 15th, 2008 at 12:44 pmGeorge holds a grudge. A mean, nasty, burning ants under the magnifying glass with glee kind of grudge.
Bush is right. The shoe-throwing reporter does not represent a movement in Iraq. He represents a movement WORLDWIDE.
December 15th, 2008 at 12:45 pmIn Muslim culture, merely “directing the sole of a shoe at someone is the equivalent to giving the finger”, even if you’re just seated with your legs crossed and the bottom of the elevated shoe is facing someone.
By extrapolation then, hurling the shoes is ONE HELL of a caps-locked, bold-faced “fcuk you“, just in case you’re not paying attention.
December 15th, 2008 at 12:46 pmNettles Says:
Whatever.
Bush did all of us, critics and supporters alike, a great service by handling the situation in a calm and dignified manner. Maliki too.
My only critique of bush here would be that he failed to catch the second one and chuck it right back at that loser “journalist”.
Poor troll. The Bush bubble got a hole in it and the troll had to rearrange his schedule to comfort the clone of himself in the WH with the keyboard.
I’m not sorry for your loss, and I will not be sorry plenty more times from Jan. 20th-on. You and your boy are toast.
December 15th, 2008 at 12:46 pmMaythem al-Zaidi = the man who will not vindicate George Bush in the history books.
December 15th, 2008 at 12:48 pmI’m just waiting for someone to claim that Al-Zaidi’s shoes were actually provided by the Iranians ( along with the training to throw them).
December 15th, 2008 at 12:49 pmBush has not just made bad decisions, or a different policy that triggers disagreement, this petty little man launched a preemptive, discretionary war for his own aggrandizement. Amongst a littany of other disgraces.
Protests, books written, letters to the editor…. those all pale. Even a shoe thrown at him is too small a gesture.
Forget Bush. That pitiful weak POS is history. But for the next leader who thinks that he can lie to his countrymen and disgrace our country like Bush has, a show thrown, or feces thrown, or any other kind protest against this Chimpfck is in order.
December 15th, 2008 at 12:49 pmKeltoi Says:
then people will feel they can throw stuff at any leader and not face consequences.
While it seems to be a fair statement on the surface, it includes and assumes the belief that “any leader” is special and more important than other people. If he threw his shoe at ME, not only would there be no outrage, but no judge, regardless of politics, would likely give him anything (they were just shoes, and they missed — maybe he’d get a ‘warning’). I see nothing special about ANY leader. I do not believe in divine right nor that there are any special magic powers given to any leaders.
One might want to determine if any such action against “any leader” was directed at the nation the leader represents or directed at that leader as a person (and, yes, the two are distinct: you CAN assault a nations leader because you hate him or her, and yet have no negative feelings toward thos that that leader leads).
So, we don’t consider it very nice or diplomatic to throw things at anyone, and certainly not leaders. But leaders should not be given a magical mantle of holiness. If Saddam had come over here in our run-up to the invasion, and spoke at a function that included people who believed he was involved in 9/11 and yet he walked free — well, I don’t think Americans would stop at shoes, and many who tout this line of thought (respect all world leaders) would NOT be supporting that argument.
Even our nation is not entirely outraged, and in fact a large portion of the country finds it funny or appropriate or even not enough. So, the nation is not outraged, and its because this is seen as a comment on Bush himself and his policies and their results. It was not using Bush as a symbol of America. This shoe toss was intended for Bush and no one else.
A world leader who does things that other countries don’t like probably should not go visititng those countries for photo-ops.
December 15th, 2008 at 12:52 pmrastaman Says:
your days are over and all it took was some bravery by a lone shoe man.
A lone shoeman could not have thrown the second shoe so quickly after the first. There must have been a second shoeman and ……..therefore…….a conspiracy!!!
December 15th, 2008 at 12:52 pm5th Estate, the real shoes will be replaced by Iranian-made shoes just like the Mauser was replaced by the Italian Carcano.
December 15th, 2008 at 12:55 pmKeith Says:
A lone shoeman could not have thrown the second shoe so quickly after the first. There must have been a second shoeman and ……..therefore…….a conspiracy!!!
OMG!!!!!! FUUUUUNNNNNNYYYY SHHHHHHH!!!IITTTT!!!!!!!!!!!
December 15th, 2008 at 12:58 pmCageyCretin Says:
Even our nation is not entirely outraged, and in fact a large portion of the country finds it funny or appropriate or even not enough. So, the nation is not outraged, and its because this is seen as a comment on Bush himself and his policies and their results. It was not using Bush as a symbol of America. This shoe toss was intended for Bush and no one else.
Not according to his co-workers:
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?
id=081215101512.zc72xjiu&show_article=1
When Achmidinijad spoke at Columbia, he was heckled but not assaulted.
As per leaders getting special protection, I think this has to be. You or I are not likely targets of assassination, whereas heads of state are.
December 15th, 2008 at 1:01 pmUnfortuneately, Emil al-Zapruder’s film was confiscated by authorities so we may not ever know the full story.
December 15th, 2008 at 1:05 pmKeith…
December 15th, 2008 at 1:06 pmObviously there’s a need for shoe-resistant vehicles. No doubt the TSA will also be confiscating shoes and probably socks, just to be on the safe side.
We’ll need shoe sniffing dogs too.
And a focused-microwave Active Shoe Denial system for Shoe-Control.
Also UN shoe inspectors need to be given access to Iranian shoe companies to determine whether their shoe program is really for peaceful purposes or not.
Keltoi Says:
When Achmidinijad spoke at Columbia, he was heckled but not assaulted.
We don’t have the same cultural attitudes, so throwing shoes at Whatshisname would have been unlikely. More important, our country hasn’t been invaded, occupied, and suffered under a civil war because of Whatshisname, so the level of anger is a bit different.
December 15th, 2008 at 1:08 pm5th Estate, right you are! And where is Richard Reid when we really need him?
December 15th, 2008 at 1:09 pmKeltoi, if 25% of Americans were either dead or refugees due to an illegal invasion and occupation, based on 935 recorded lies, then you could make a comparison!
December 15th, 2008 at 1:11 pmKeith Says: 5th Estate, right you are! And where is Richard Reid when we really need him?
Or ‘Random Task’, for that matter?
December 15th, 2008 at 1:11 pmWhat happened to Tracy_5?
December 15th, 2008 at 1:11 pmpwned again?
No, that is soooo Clintonesque.
December 15th, 2008 at 1:13 pmI would throw a shoe at Bush but not at Ahmadinejad. Bush is a traitor and has done more real, tangible damage to my country than any other person alive.
That’s not hyperbole and I don’t think I am so fringe that I am all alone.
December 15th, 2008 at 1:16 pmKeltoi: then people will feel they can throw stuff at any leader and not face consequences.
then leaders will feel they can invade countries and kill tens or hundreds of thousands and not face any consequences.
December 15th, 2008 at 1:18 pmdbadass Says: What happened to Tracy_5?
pwned again?
Yes, and thanks for noticing.
December 15th, 2008 at 1:21 pmCut poor Tracy a break. It takes a lot of balls for the 23% Bush worshipping deadenders to show their sorry, slackjawed faces these days.
This might just start a new trend. I wouldn’t be surprised if people started throwing shoes at the deluded fools who still pray at the alter of their Bushgod.
December 15th, 2008 at 1:21 pmArrogant, stupid little pr*ck.
December 15th, 2008 at 1:24 pmGeorge The Simple, giving more credence to his name.
December 15th, 2008 at 1:27 pmWhat do you mean: “ThinkProgress is currently unavailable”?
December 15th, 2008 at 1:27 pmshoeless. You are prescient. How could you have foretold this manner of peaceful(well, semi) protest?
December 15th, 2008 at 1:27 pmNettles Says:
Bush did all of us, critics and supporters alike, a great service…
___________
About the only way Bush could do all of us a “great service” would be by resigning today and reporting immediately to the Hague for sentencing. Anything less would be just another empty gesture, from a man who’s whole life is an endless string of empty, meaningless gestures.
December 15th, 2008 at 1:29 pmThe FBI has a file on me. Last time Bush came to town, they confiscated my shoes.
December 15th, 2008 at 1:30 pmKeltoi Says:
As per leaders getting special protection, I think this has to be. You or I are not likely targets of assassination, whereas heads of state are.
And that is the purpose of the secret service types who guard the leader. However, this is not the same as expecting a different set of rules respecting the leader. A shoe thrown at me by some guy while I’m at a podium speaking should bear the same weight as this shoe toss. I would not expect that person to be sent away for years of jail, and neither should anyone concerned with justice expect the same here. Again, it was a SHOE, not a knife (which it could have been) or a bomb (less likely, but possible). He threw a shoe, and it has CULTURAL SIGNIFIGANCE, which is also very important: it MEANS something to the Arab world — far more than it does to the western world.
Should he be imprisoned in Gitmo indefinetely? Hell no. Should he be given a small fine and told to never be seen throwing shoes in the vicinity again? Absolutely.
Had he tried to assassinate Bush THEN more would be required. In no way can you spin this at all to mean anything more than it clearly was. Does this fellow have resentment toward America as well? Sure, but if you think he should love America for what we have done to his country you are not paying attention to what is going on over there. If YOU were an Iraqi, and still happened to be alive right now, you would feel the same as him, and possibly even consider joining AQ or some other militant group to oppose the foreigners oppressing your country (spin it all you want, but the majority of iraqis want us out, and have said so for years. YOU can frame the invasion in whatever terms make you happy about it, but the people of Iraq overwhelmingly do NOT think that we have liberated them and made their lives better: they want us to leave so that they can actually DO something to make their lives better).
December 15th, 2008 at 1:35 pmAre you telling me that you would not even throw a shoe at some foriegn potentate who invaded our country and killed hundreds of thousands of our countrymen, including some of your family, friends and neighbors?
Were you born without a spine, or did you just lose it?
December 15th, 2008 at 1:38 pmBUSH: I don’t think you can take one guy throwing shoes and say this represents a broad movement in Iraq.
No broad movement eh? Ever heard of the Sadrist movement? Its a popular Shiite movement in Iraq with millions of supporters centered around Muqtada Al-Sadr (ever heard of him?) who strongly sometimes violently opposes the US occupation. I bet no Sadrist would hesitate to throw a shoe at Bush had they the opportunity
And apparently even though they re Shiites many in Sadr city seem to support Zaidi who is Sunni
December 15th, 2008 at 1:43 pmBUSH: How do you know? I mean, how do we know what he’s expressing?
This is typical GOPthink. To be a Republican you must believe that life is a series of random unrelated events, devoid of meaning.
December 15th, 2008 at 1:44 pmAs a good bye gesture….why don’t we all place shoes at the gate of the White House until the 19th of Jan.
Pass this on…everybody…bring a pair of old shoes to the gates of the White House and leave them there.
Just a little reminder to Mr. Bush what a great job he’s done.
PEACE
December 15th, 2008 at 1:46 pmThe Iraq people look to this shoe man as a hero and saying what all Iraqis believe that Bush is lower then dirt. Now in the end the Iraq people who have suffered so much under the invasion/torture/rape/murder by the US will come out the winners. Right now Iraq has a very stronge Stock Market with on US investors. Iraq got about 1 trillion dollars of taxpayers money that they do not have to pay back. Oil fields will start producing and China/Russia have made deals to buy. Yes Iraq will be one of the richest nations in the World thanks to GW and company. Even Saddam would be proud.
December 15th, 2008 at 1:52 pmThis is what happens when you lie/cheat/steal/torture/rape/murder under the name of God.
“I don’t know what his beef is?” Never got it, never will!
December 15th, 2008 at 1:53 pmI like it.
Message to Bush: Don’t let the shoe hit you on the way out.
December 15th, 2008 at 1:54 pmBush tries to make it seem like this was nothing, but having dealt with ME cultures for years through Poppy Bush, he knows this was a grave insult.
He’s just keeping his base delusional — I’m looking at YOU trolls. :D
December 15th, 2008 at 2:14 pmI love these shoe threads. They bring out the chimpy defenders….too bad there are fewer and fewer of them and they don’t have much staying power because you can only pretend a turd don’t stink for so long.
December 15th, 2008 at 2:17 pmBush said Iraq was the place Al Quieda said they were going to set-up? The Iraq in which Saddam was no friend of Al Quieda. Bush should be brought up on murder charges.
December 15th, 2008 at 2:19 pmI think we should start sending our old shoes to the White House while this moron is still in office. Whoops, just saw galmud’s post–I like it. Same idea, but I don’t live close enough to travel to the White House so I’ll just rely on UPS.
December 15th, 2008 at 2:22 pmOne can’t compare the Chimp to a generic “leader”. He’s the person who ordered the illegal invasion of Iraq and, as such, is damn lucky to get in and out of the country with a whole skin.
As for Mr. al-Zaidi’s legal situation? I think a U.S. court would call it simple assault since shoes are not considered “deadly weapons” and he did, in fact, miss.
December 15th, 2008 at 2:27 pmWhat happened to that shoe bomb thing we’ve been lining up for
December 15th, 2008 at 2:34 pmTo dare think the bombing, murdering, raping, torturing of the Iraqi people in not significant is the height of all arrogance and speaks volumes of the disrespect Bush has for another race of people.
December 15th, 2008 at 2:50 pmAhh, GW, wrong right up till the very end.
December 15th, 2008 at 3:07 pmWRONG WRONG WRONG…
Especially when the people you are trying to convince it don’t stink keep rubbing your nose in the pile of shit.
December 15th, 2008 at 3:09 pmI have an old pair of smelly sneakers I’d love to wing at the pres.
December 15th, 2008 at 3:23 pmDo you think that Bush will find it in his magnanimous heart to pardon this guy?
December 15th, 2008 at 3:40 pmKeltoi Says:
I don’t think you can look at the popularity of the leader as the basis of whether you enforce the law. What if he had thrown the shoes at Achmidinejad? If he doesn’t get any jail time at all, then people will feel they can throw stuff at any leader and not face consequences.
December 15th, 2008 at 12:36 pm
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Have him pay a $35 fine for littering, then. At worst, it’s misdemeanor assault. It shouldn’t be a crime to defend your own country from an invading terrorist.
December 15th, 2008 at 3:52 pmgalmud Says:
And apparently even though they re Shiites many in Sadr city seem to support Zaidi who is Sunni
December 15th, 2008 at 1:43 pm
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Well that’s pretty sweet.
How nice would it be if this shoe-throwing incident was the start of a new friendship between Iraq’s Sunni and Shi’a communities?
December 15th, 2008 at 3:55 pmBush & Cheney promised us that “We would be greeted as liberators.” Guess the shoe guy didn’t get that memo.
December 15th, 2008 at 4:22 pmStretching…
December 15th, 2008 at 6:37 pmWell, I guess W turned out to be a uniter after all. Shiite and Sunni applaud the thrown shoe. Dems and Goopers running away from him as fast as possible. Nearly unanimous opinion….WORST PRESIDENT EVER.
December 15th, 2008 at 6:39 pmIf Bush and trolls love Iraq so much and it is now such a wonderful place with such a strong economy….please just move on over and buy some rugs. I’m sure you could bask in your glory to your heart’s content.
December 15th, 2008 at 6:43 pmCan even BUSH be delusional enough to think he is anything but HATED in Iraq? I guess he can Tracy seems delusional enough to not GET the obvious. The level of self delusion is astonishing.
December 15th, 2008 at 9:17 pm“Shoe fly, don’t bother me…”
December 15th, 2008 at 10:47 pmProof of who is right will come after Iraq is in charge of its own affairs. Does anyone think Bush will ever be invited to Baghdad and celebrated as the hero who liberated the Iraqi people? Delusional Republicans need not hazard a guess.
December 16th, 2008 at 2:27 am