Throwing Shoes at President Bush

Brandon9000 wrote:

Probably. Lee Harvey Oswald threw a bullet at JFK, and there were assassination attempts on Ford and Reagan, but even if I couldn't, it's absolutely clear that the actions of one man are not an accurate assessment of a president's work while in office.

They are a reflection, not an assessment. And to compare this to former assassination attempts is asinine, Brandon. It is a very visible signal of a failure of a president, when you have foreign reporters throwing shoes at you, and people are mostly sad that he missed.

Quote:

Also, if Bush doesn't have millions of supporters, then how could he have an approval rating of 25% or so? Doesn't that mean that a quarter of the people ask say that they approve of the job he's doing?

Die-hard Republicans approve of the Republican in office no matter what, if for no other reason then the fact that they consider any Republican to be better than any Democrat. But if you ask those Republicans in person, individually, nearly all of them will express anger or disappointment in Bush.

The idea that anyone thinks he's been 'successful' is a joke, Brandon. You and other long-time Bush supporters were fools for doing so and it's been pretty clearly agreed upon by all that you were mistaken to place your faith in him. These days you're left with nothing better than half-assed excuses for his mistakes and protestations that people thought they were 'doing the right thing.' That's weak sauce.

Cycloptichorn

You understand they were mostly embarrassed? Did you call and have a chat about it with some Iraqis?

Jeez

Cycloptichorn

Many Iraqis, however, believe al-Zeidi was a hero for insulting an American president widely blamed for the chaos that has engulfed their country since the U.S.-led invasion of 2003.

In Mosul, Iraq's third-largest city, located north of Baghdad, an estimated 1,000 protesters carried banners and chanted slogans demanding al-Zeidi's release.

A couple of hundred more also protested Tuesday in Nasiriyah, a Shiite city about 200 miles southeast of Baghdad, and Fallujah, a Sunni area west of the capital.

"Muntadhar al-Zeidi has expressed the feelings and ambitions of the Iraqi people toward the symbol of tyranny," said Nassar Afrawi, a protester in Nasiriyah.

In Baghdad, Noureddin al-Hiyali, a lawmaker of the main Sunni bloc in parliament, defended al-Zeidi's actions and said he believed the reporter was likely motivated by the invasion of Iraq, the "dismantling of the Iraqi government, destroying the infrastructure," " all events he blamed on the Bush administration.

"International law approves peoples' right to resist occupation using all means and Mr. Muntadhar al-Zeidi endeavored to resist occupation in his own manner," al-Hiyali said.

He urged the government to take that into consideration when deciding what to do with al-Zeidi.

The head of the Iraqi Union of Journalists described al-Zeidi's action as "strange and unprofessional" but urged Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to give him clemency.

"Even if he has committed a mistake, the government and the judiciary are broad-minded, and we hope they consider his release because he has a family, and he is still young," Mouyyad al-Lami told AP Television News. "We hope this case ends before going to court."

The perception of al-Zeidi as a hero reflects Arab animosity toward Bush for the 2003 invasion of Iraq and dissatisfaction with the president's handling of foreign policy matters in the Middle East.

That hostility has persisted even though violence has dropped by more than 80% in Iraq since earlier this year when car bombings and gunfights throughout the country were rampant.

Cycloptichorn wrote:

You understand they were mostly embarrassed? Did you call and have a chat about it with some Iraqis?

Jeez

Cycloptichorn

I heard Bush say essentially that as he explained the incident, shoe size and all.

Better than most of your sources, cyclops.

More Anti Americanism from our favorite "citizens" on the left.

Maybe next time the UN and the rest of the World wants America to bail them out, we should tell them to **** off.

By Martin Asser
BBC News


Around the Arab world, if you want to escalate a situation, by saying for example "I'm going to thump you", add the words "with a shoe" and you're adding serious insult to the threat of possible injury.

It's that cultural significance that has added real sting to the assault by an Iraqi journalist against US President George W Bush at a Baghdad news conference.

In Arab culture it's considered rude even to display the sole of one's shoe to a fellow human being.

Certainly, crossing one's legs ankle-on-knee style should never be done in a public place for fear of offending the person next to you.

The sensitivity is related to the fact shoes are considered ritually unclean in the Muslim faith.

In addition to ritual ablutions before prayer, Muslims must take off their shoes to pray, and wearing shoes inside a mosque is forbidden.

Shoes should either be left at the door of the mosque, or carried (preferably in the left hand with the soles pressed together).

But beyond the Islamic significance, the dirty and degrading implication of the sole of a shoe crosses all religious boundaries in the Middle East.

Maybe next time the UN and the rest of the World wants America to bail them out, we should tell them to **** off.

where he has been beaten and tortured.

"So what?"
-- George W. Bush, after conceding that the U.S. invasion brought al-Qaeda to Iraq

DOHA: The Doha Centre for Media Freedom has expressed concern about the ill-treatment of journalist Muntazer Al Zaidi, who has been held by Iraqi security forces after he threw a pair of shoes at US President George W Bush at a press conference in Baghdad on December 14.

The journalist’s brother yesterday said one of his arms and several ribs were broken and he sustained eye and leg injuries when Iraqi security officers leapt on him.

“We call on the Iraqi authorities to ensure that the rights of this prisoner are respected”, a spokesperson for the Centre said. “Although he was not arrested because of his opinions, we cannot remain silent in the face of the ill-treatment inflicted on him by the Iraqi security forces. It is vital that he should be given access to medical care, be allowed to see his lawyers and be given a fair trial.”

Zaidi, who works for the Al Baghdadia television station, is being held at national security headquarters in Baghdad.

okie wrote:

Cycloptichorn wrote:

You understand they were mostly embarrassed? Did you call and have a chat about it with some Iraqis?

Jeez

Cycloptichorn

I heard Bush say essentially that as he explained the incident, shoe size and all.

Better than most of your sources, cyclops.

Are you joking? That guy is a confirmed liar. You couldn't trust him to tell you what day of the week it was. And you know he's a confirmed liar.

The shoe-thrower has galvanized public opinion in the Middle East, and guess what? They mostly agree with my position. There have now been two solid days of protests and riots to get the guy released from prison - where he has been beaten and tortured.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7785338.stm

Cycloptichorn