Iraqi shoe thrower to seek Swiss asylum

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

Monday, January 19, 2009
Iraqi shoe thrower to seek Swiss asylum
Frank Jordans / Associated Press

GENEVA -- A Swiss lawyer working on behalf of the Iraqi journalist who threw shoes at U.S. President George W. Bush said Monday his client will seek political asylum in Switzerland.

Geneva-based lawyer Mauro Poggia said Muntadhar al-Zeidi's life is in danger if he stays in Iraq.

Al-Zeidi has been detained in an Iraqi jail awaiting trial since he was seized by guards after his Dec. 14 outburst at a joint news conference in Baghdad by Bush and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.

"He is in danger over there," Poggia told The Associated Press in a telephone interview Monday. "He's also in danger in other Muslim countries because people who support his action could try to make him a martyr."

Al-Zeidi's gesture of anger at Bush turned the employee of a minor TV station into a national hero to many Iraqis fed up with America's six-year presence in the country. But concern has been raised about his safety after allegations that he had been severely beaten and tortured in detention.



Read more: http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090119/NATION/901190390/1020/rss09

[SpiralHawk]

1. "You won't have me around to fling shoes at any more." - Commander AWOL (R)

"I'm shamefacedly slinking off into the sunset with my cabal 'O corrupt chickenhawk republicon homelander cronies. After having sucked America dry, we want to count up our Massive War Profits in peace and quiet. Too bad (smirk) about you Americans. Smirk."

- Commander AWOL & Republicon Homelander Cronies

[ro1942]

2. hero

this brave man made a statement for the world, sure hope he stays safe.

[Judi Lynn]

3. He'll need to pack his Presidential Seal inaugural boots, by god.

http://images.usatoday.com.nyud.net:8090/life/_photos/2005/01/19/inside1-bush.jpg http://www.ccadp.org.nyud.net:8090/BUSH-Boots3.jpg http://static.guim.co.uk.nyud.net:8090/Guardian/world/gallery/2008/mar/18/blingworldleaders/Bush2-2245.jpg

http://www.thoughtcrimes.org.nyud.net:8090/s9/uploads/Linkimages/CommanderinChiefboots.jpg

[angrycarpenter]

5. Looks like he is wearing rubber boots

Required equipment for someone who spreads so much crap.

[populistdriven]

6. This is the Gangsta "I just killed a country" Lifted Pants Leg

http://static.guim.co.uk.nyud.net:8090/Guardian/world/gallery/2008/mar/18/blingworldleaders/Bush2-2245.jpg

[DesertRat]

8. Oh gross

And that goes for Laura's hideous dress as well. :puke:

[No Elephants]

30. Little guy sure loved playing dress up, didn't he? The Dress Up President.

[struggle4progress]

50. O my ...

:puke:

[Kolesar]

4. I heard that Dick Nixon beat up his wife after losing that election

I recall Russert recounting it.

[No Elephants]

26. If any First Ladies seemed like pathetic souls, it was Mamie and Pat. Both

alcoholics, too, like Betty. Unlike Mamie and Pat, Gerald seemed to adore Betty, but still, all 3 were Republican First Ladies.

[Wizard777]

7. I hope he gets asylum. His is a crime of passion. The crime was comprehending reality.

[northernlights]

9. gee, I thought everybody in 3rd world countries

was supposed to be dying to come to murika, land of the free
:sarcasm:

[Harry Monroe]

10. God (or Allah) bless the shoe thrower and keep him safe!!

I'm sure the danger he is in comes from the outgoing Bush Administration who probably has a contract out on him. Wouldn't put it past them at all!!

[Name removed]

11. Deleted message

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[Peggesis1]

13. this is for you, Clindemuth

OK, Clindemuth of 4 whole posts,if you don't understand the bravery involved in publicly throwing those shoes at the head of state of the foreign nation that has destroyed his nation, then you haven't been paying attention. When you show some backbone yourself you might have the right to call this courageous man a "clown." He IS an Iraqi--and you're going on about the Iraqis having him. (I think he fully expected to be killed, by the way, it still might happen, and that doesn't mean we have to let it happen.) Innocent people are being raped and murdered and beaten in his country and that clown on the podium ducking his shoes brought this horror to his country.

Oh, and get out more, Clindemuth.

[Name removed]

21. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[lunatica]

29. A statement heard around the world has power

Your perception is limited. This act was genuine and exploded onto the world's consciousness. You see failure where virtually everyone else sees a symbolic act that is justified. You obviously don't understand action and reaction in politics. Words and actions have far outstripped and defeated the greatest armies in history when it comes to invasions and occupations. The smallest gesture of resistance, such as Ghandi going on a hunger strike can change history.

To you Ghandi would be a fool. To the rest of the world he changed the course of history. He spoke up to power and by doing so he spoke for millions who couldn't speak for themselves. Here on DU we get it. We don't trash those who do whatever they can to address the crimes committed by authority.

[No Elephants]

33. Maybe he a brave protestor, but not an assassin?

[mrbarber]

38. Are you crazy?

A bomb? And turn Bush into a Martyr? The entire middle East would be turned into a a parking lot if that happened and the Neocon's could use that situation to further their own agenda.

[lenegal]

14. An escapee from the Free Republic? Freeperville?

Ha. We here have celebrated the shoe throw.

[Name removed]

22. Deleted message

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[lunatica]

36. So you thought you would get company in hating the shoe thrower?

And yes, Bush is hated here. How do you feel about him?

[Name removed]

46. Deleted message

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[No Elephants]

37. You came here looking for disaffected Democrats?

[Name removed]

47. Deleted message

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[lunatica]

15. The point has obviously sailed far over your head

Some people actually put themselves in harms way to protest the murder of their country's innocent and the illegal occupation of their country. Anger and hatred tend to make one act in extreme ways.

[Name removed]

23. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[lunatica]

28. Please list those better ways

But be sure to do so from the occupied national's point of view

[Name removed]

32. Deleted message

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[lunatica]

34. LOL! Wise?

Sometimes opening one's yap before connecting to the brain isn't wise. So much for your wisdom...

[Name removed]

48. Deleted message

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[northernlights]

16. oh clindemouth of 4 posts...

The "clown" you refer to saw members of his family killed by BUSH's bombs.

The "clown" you refer to had already been kidnapped and tortured, courtesy of BUSH.

The "clown" knew what he faced when he spoke TRUTH to POWER.

THAT, sir is COURAGE.

Not your little tin soldier wielding his hijacked military safe from his vacation home in Crawford, Tx, or his vacation home at Camp David, or his vacation home in DC.

Emperor Georgey Porgey stuck his head out of his hidey hole and had to duck a pair of boots. That is what he gets for sticking his head out of his hidey hole. And it is far, far less than the orange pajamas he honestly deserves.

Now go back to the spiderhole you crawled out of. Your side lost. Get over it.

[Name removed]

24. Deleted message

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[Doremus]

20. It's the hatefulness (and one-dimensional thinking) that tips you off.

There is a chatboard filled with your ilk. Give it a try, you'll love it like a pig in mud.

By the way, the shoe thrower has more courage in one molecule than you can even conceive of in the entirety of your gray matter.

[Name removed]

27. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[No Elephants]

35. He did buy something with it. What, only murder is brave? In what universe?

[Name removed]

49. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[No Elephants]

31. So did those Bostonians who threw snowballs at that British soldier, right before the

Boston Massacre. They caused their own deaths. Jerks, huh?

[sui generis]

12. let's invade switzerland for harboring terra-ists!

I've heard they have yellow Sacher Tort (kind of like yellow-cake except not yellow, not cake and not radioactive).

[Kokonoe]

17. Is throwing you shoes against international law. nt

[Beartracks]

18. "He's also in danger..."

>"He's also in danger in other Muslim countries because people who support his action could try to make him a martyr."

Wow... With friends like that, who needs enemies?

[JayMusgrove]

19. Maybe Bush can pardon him, oh wait, Bush is not President of Iraq.

Never mind!

[DCKit]

25. He could ask, but it would take a much bigger man the the current pResident. n/t

[ohio2007]

39. why Swiitzerland ? he would be a shoe in for Djibouti nt

[Cha]

40. I hope it works out okay

for him..his life is taking some interesting turns thanks to his fearlessness.

This is a tribute to him from David Rees who wrote GYWO Get Your War On in Rolling STone for the last few years.

"It's like the bush administration has been staying up late, working towards those shoes every single god damn day since 9/11. The towering piles of money,blood,torture, and bullshit--all so that when some random Iraqi throws not ONE but TWO of his grimy ass loafers at bush, everyone on Earth basically gives him a standing Ovation."

From .. Rolling Stone..last GYWO in the January 22, 2009 issue.

[sofa king]

41. That guy can stay on my couch anytime he wants.

[Gwendolyn]

42. His shoes are of exceptional quality. This was in the news.

Since you're making the offer, I hope your couch is as well.

But somehow, I think between the offers of wives, riches and asylum, he's doing okay for his one person protest. Hard to imagine anyone having the guts to do what he did. Hope he gets his peace after all he's been through.

La Suisse might be an awfully boring denouement though.

[sofa king]

43. Oh, I have a fine couch!

I am, after all, the sofa king.

[Gwendolyn]

45. I thought as much!

:)

[UTUSN]

44. What's the deadline for Nobel Prize nominations?!1 n/t