Two BBC Stories 5 Years Apart: Leaders and Shoes
A journalist, Muntazir al-Zaidi of Baghdadiya Television, aimed two shoes at W. during a news conference in Baghdad during which Bush attempted to justify his invasion of Iraq. Baghdadiya, based in Cairo, Egypt, supports the Sunni Arab insurgents fighting the US and the al-Maliki government. Al-Zaidi shouted "This is a farewell kiss!" as he launched his size tens, then kept shouting "Dog, dog!" (In Arabic, it would be ibn al-kalb or son of a dog, equivalent to English s.o.b.; for color you can say 'son of a thousand dogs!')
If you search shoes and Iraq, here is how google shows two BBC stories on December 14, five years apart (they came up together like this at the top of my search):
BBC NEWS | World | Middle East | Iraqis celebrate Saddam capture
Dec 14, 2003 ... women ululated and crowds beat pictures of Saddam with shoes. ... where the Saddam statue was toppled at the end of the war, ...
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3317637.stm - 46k
BBC NEWS | Middle East | Shoes thrown at Bush on Iraq trip
Dec 14, 2008 ... President Bush's farewell visit to Iraq is marred by an incident in which two shoes are thrown at him during a news conference.
news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7782422.stm - 8 hours ago
Video via MSNBC
h/t The Joshua Blogs.
posted by Juan Cole @ 12/14/2008 04:29:00 PM
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31 Comments:
I wonder if Bush has even a glimmer of the cultural significance of what happened today. No, I don't.
He doesn't.
This was a legitimate form of protest. If only US reporters had as much courage, we might never have gotten into this mess...
The interesting question is what will happen to the reporter that did throw the shoes. Is he going to disappear as he would have under Saddam?
A bitch of course is a female dog. Does the Arabic dog in this expression have a gender id?
Steve,
Male dog- kalb
Female dog- Kalbeh
_________
Daryoush,
Should the Iraqis be thankful to Bush for all the death and destruction brought onto them by the US and its puppet allies?
Another IRAQI HERO : Muntather Al-Zaidi
Layla Anwar, An Arab Woman Blues
http://www.uruknet.info/?p=m49584&hd=&size=1&l=e
FLASHBACK: All you need to know about Shoes...
Layla Anwar, An Arab Woman Blues
http://www.uruknet.info/?p=m49585&hd=&size=1&l=e
Actually, in comments Bush made after the event that can be seen in a BBC video, I'm fairly certain he did realize how culturally significant the insult was. (He compares it to being given the finger.) And as much as I dislike him and disapprove of his actions in Iraq, I thought he recovered from the incident with remarkable humor and aplomb.
Anonymous...
Had someone thrown his shoes at Saddam when he was in power, I am sure Bush would have applauded it. So, as far as I am concern, the reporter made his feeling known toward a man that has brought about massive destruction in Iraq and middle east.
I am concern about the reporter that throw the shoes. I think there should a world wide campaign to ensure his safety and well being.
What is the "cultural significance" of shoe-throwing?
Honest question. What would the equivalent be in the US?
To me throwing a shoe is always disrespectful, how much worse is it over there?
Like giving the finger?
Yelling, "motherf*cker"?
Mooning?
How can I donate to the Muntazir al-Zaidi Legal Defense Fund? This guy is my hero.
How can we find out where this Muntazir al-Zaidi is now? Can we make sure he is not getting roughed up or even tortured?
Arabic speakers might get a kick out of Bush's attempt at "shukran jezilan" if you can find an extended version of this (the BBC may have it).
Anyone have the address of the reporter? I would like to post his bail!
could people stop posting links to layla anwar. 35 years of arab baath nationalism was quite enough.
thanks.
I think Bush needs to try out for the next Dodgeball movie, that was pretty sweet!
The reports are that Muntather Zaydi has been badly beaten and imprisoned. His employers have published a statement asking for his immediate release.
There is an online petition asking for his release as well. Please sign it. I don't know how much good these things do, but signing it is better than doing nothing.
I am sending a photo of the bottom of my shoes, along with the Iraqi journalist's words, on a postcard to the White House. I make postcards out of card stock paper, and cover the back with wide, clear tape.
Others have said they are going to throw shoes at the White House, or mail bush a pair of old smelly shoes.
I hope all Americas do something along these lines.
Throwing shoes seems assaultive to me. Pictures of shoes are a great idea. The most despicable presidency in our history seems to be finally coming to an end.
It's being reported that the reporter was once kidnapped by a Shiite militia while heading into Baghdad and held for 3 days. I'm sure Bush's claims that Iraq is a safe place would only make him more bitter.
People on Digg have been making a ton of jokes about this:
Man, he dodged those shoes like a Vietnam Draft
Oh NOW he has proper reaction to attacks
Obama would have caught it and thrown it right back at him.
Finally, a journalist with some sense.
Does this mean we are going to attack Iran now?
Reports indicate that the journalist was the sole attacker.
My first though was, I wonder how Jon Stewart will make fun of this. Unfortunately, he's on vacation until New Years. Heck, I'd have a special episode just for this incident.
Good that he threw his shoes, since we all know why no one threw their shoes at Saddam. The supreme irony of the moment is probably lost on both him and you.
What is the "cultural significance" of shoe-throwing?
Actually, i imagine it's stronger than giving someone the finger. Probably it's more like spitting on someone.
And I disagree that Bush reacted with "remarkable humor and aplomb". Humor, yes. But remarkable for its callousness and lack of understanding. And his trademark narcissism - it was an opportunity for him to joke about himself and remember with humor other "bizarre" occasions, like a Falun Gong protester. He certainly revealed the contempt he holds for people who disagree with him.
Oh, and dancewater - that's a great idea!
Adbusters magazine has had a 'art in the mail' campaign for a few years. (It was probably called something else.) But, you can send almost anything through the mail - as long as it has an address on it.
I think I'll be sending a pair of shoes to the White House as well.
Get enough folks to do that, you'll have international news that will spotlight the condition of Muntather Zaydi, who absolutely deserves our support and action.
All Bush had to do was duck a pair of shoes, not an IED. But this is right in line with his noble and valiant wartime experience, protecting Alabama and Texas from the Viet Cong.
Add your shoe/Bush photos and videos to http://shoesforbush.blogspot.com
Spread the word.
As an Iraqi am so Proud of this man.
If USA really want to deliver democracy, then release the man, give him a fair trial.
This type of offence will go under a minimum jurisdiction court.
He will pay a fine or max jail for 3 months. It’s just an assault, a symbolic one, he didn’t hit bush, equivalent to verbal assault. or be release coz, he has been beaten badly by the guards! I think he should take bush guards and almaliki guards for a trial for an impropriated behaviors.
Remember similar behavior happened to the prime minister of UK through an egg. I don’t thing the offender went to jail. If you know this case name, or any similar one (British royal family) please tell for my own research
My only objection is that the reporter called W a dog and that is an insult to dogs everywhere.Dogs Rule! and if we had a dog as President for the past 8yrs the US and Iraq would both have been betteroff.
I just want to tell arabs when they want to go a press conference they have to take their shoes off then go inside
whats the reaction of american street about this incedent ?
"a glimmer of the cultural significance"
"a legitimate form of protest"
___
Ah, the Great Shoes of Western Sieve ! ("Where are you now, Mortimer J. Adler?")
Probably poor M. Muntazir az-Zaydí's 2008 shoe event comes in no better than third, however, after M. Nikita Khrushchev's of 1960
The winner and still all-time champion is of course rather older than either of these mushrooms.
Merry days.
I think what Muntazar al Zaidi accomplished was much more than a thousand suicide bombers ever would. He showed to the world the true face of the foreign policy of Mr. Bush without hurting even "the dog".
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