Bush gets farewell shoes from Iraqi journalist

BAGHDAD – An Iraqi journalist hurled his shoes and an insult at George Bush, without hitting him, as the US president was shaking hands with the Iraqi premier at his Baghdad office on Sunday.

As the two leaders met in Nuri al-Maliki’s private office, a journalist sitting in the third row jumped up, shouting: “It is the farewell kiss, you dog,” and threw his shoes one after the other toward Bush.

Maliki made a protective gesture toward the US president, who ducked and was not hit.

The journalist, Muntazer al-Zaidi from Al-Baghdadia channel, which broadcasts from Cairo, was frogmarched from the room by security staff, an AFP journalist said.

Soles of shoes are considered the ultimate insult in Arab culture. After Saddam Hussein’s statue was toppled in Baghdad in April 2003, many onlookers beat the statue’s face with their soles.

Some Iraqi journalists stood up to apologize.

The White House said Bush ducked to avoid the first shoe, while the second narrowly missed the president.

Bush said: “Thanks for apologizing on behalf of the Iraqi people. It doesn’t bother me. If you want the facts, it was a size 10 shoe that he threw.”

Playing down the incident, the president later added: “I don’t know what the guy’s cause is... I didn’t feel the least bit threatened by it.”

Meanwhile, Zaidi’s network, Al Baghdadia channel demanded his immediate release, fearing for his safety.

“Al-Baghdadia television demands that the Iraqi authorities immediately release their stringer Muntadhar al-Zaidi, in line with the democracy and freedom of expression that the American authorities promised the Iraqi people,” it said in a statement.

In Cairo, Muzhir al-Khafaji, programming director for the television channel, described Zaidi as a “proud Arab and an open-minded man.”

“We fear for his safety,” he added. - AP