GO OUT U.S.A.---Looks like the Iraqis found something to unite about

[underpants]

A shoe is raised during a protest against the visit to Iraq of US President George W. Bush, in the Shiite stronghold of Sadr City in Baghdad, Iraq, Monday. Dec. 15, 2008. Iraqi journalist Muntadar al-Zeidi threw his shoes at President George W. Bush during a press conference in Baghdad on Sunday, while yelling in Arabic: 'This is a farewell kiss, you dog, this is from the widows, the orphans and those who were killed in Iraq.'
(AP Photo/Karim Kadim)






Iraqis hold up a posters calling for the release of an Iraqi journalist who hurled his shoes at visiting US President George W. Bush. Iraq faced mounting calls to release the journalist who hurled his shoes at George W. Bush, an action branded shameful by the government but hailed in the Arab world as an ideal parting gift to the unpopular US president.
(AFP/Ahmad al-Rubaye)


Replicas of the US flag are burnt during a protest against a visit by US President George W. Bush and the arrest of an Iraqi journalist in the eastern Baghdad district of Sadr City. Iraq faced mounting calls to release the journalist who hurled his shoes at George W. Bush, an action branded shameful by the govt but hailed in the Arab world as an ideal parting gift to the unpopular US president.
(AFP/Ahmad al-Rubaye)

[leftstreet]

1. K&R

[jbane]

2. I leave for Iraq in 3 weeks

If the worst I can expect is to be hit by a shoe, I'm not too worried although I allways get a little concerned when they are burning American flags.

[JuniperLea]

4. In their world, a thrown shoe is far worse than flag burning...

It is the ultimate insult. The shoe itself is NOT the thing to worry about, it's the meaning.

You might do youself a favor and read up on customs and culture before you go... and be safe.

[no limit]

8. That sucks, I'm sure this doesn't make it any easier for you

stay safe.

[underpants]

13. Good luck

and thanks

:hi: Richmonder

[malaise]

18. Stay safe

please.

[JuniperLea]

3. Quite frankly, I don't blame them...

Bush should hang for this war, and the needless murder of over a million innocent Iraqis.

The cell phone hanging would go viral on the YouTubes.

[MarkInCA]

5. This picture gets me

Is this the equivalent of the "Moran guy"? The signs look computer printed. Couldn't whoever printed them have hit a friggin translation site?

[IndyOp]

7. No, this is not the equivalent of the Moran guy -- this is someone who speaks a different language

and who knows at least slightly MORE THAN ONE language -- unlike most Americans.

I have students from other countries in my college classes and I know that I did not have the courage at that age to challenge myself to not only live in another country and be immersed in a second language and culture, but to also learn college-level material in that second language.

How about giving the man the benefit of the doubt? If we had over 4 million refugees in our nation who needed help and were surrounded by crisis I'd think more of you if you spent your time helping people and working to get the occupiers out of the country than if you spent your time checking spelling and grammar of your protest signs.

Peace.

[IsItJustMe]

16. For what it is worth, I think you are right. To compare these two entirely different protesters

their motivation for being out there to protest to begin with, is a great disservice.

[no limit]

9. So how many languages do you know?

Because this guy seems to know at least 2, even if he can't write very well in one of them. Does that give you an excuse to laugh at him?

[nichomachus]

14. Only if the "moran guy"

had held up a sign in Arabic with a minor misspelling . . .

[Ichingcarpenter]

6. Look they're dancing in the streets and talking about Bush!

[progressoid]

10. Sure would be nice to see pictures where they DON'T burn our flag.

Hopefully soon that will happen.

[radfringe]

11. WHY didn't we think of shoes... about 8 years earlier???? n/t

[alsame]

12. So it turns out that Bush is a uniter after all. n/t

[Pastiche423]

15. What a beautiful sight!

Thanks for posting them.

[eridani]

17. "He signed his own death warrant"

http://www.truthout.org/121508C

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 many parts of the Middle East hailed the journalist as a hero and praised his insult as a proper send-off to the unpopular U.S. president.

The protests came as suicide bombers and gunmen targeted Iraqi police, U.S.-allied Sunni guards and civilians in a series of attacks Monday that killed at least 17 people and wounded more than a dozen others, officials said.

Journalist Muntadhar al-Zeidi, who was kidnapped by militants last year, was being held by Iraqi security Monday and interrogated about whether anybody paid him to throw his shoes at Bush during a press conference the previous day in Baghdad, said an Iraqi official.


http://arabwomanblues.blogspot.com/2008/12/another-iraqi-hero-muntather-al-zaeidee.html

Let me tell you more about Muntather Al-Zaidi. Muntather was kidnapped, tortured and humiliated and when released he resumed his work as a journalist at the Baghdadia TV. He graduated from Baghdad University in Journalism and was active pre-2003 in the Iraqi Federation /Student Union and was/is known to be a vehement opposer to the dual occupation of my Beloved.

One of his colleagues confirmed that Muntather came to the press conference late, and his other colleagues from the same TV station had preceded him way before. This other colleague also confirmed that they had to stand for hours for stringent security checks before being allowed to enter the press hall.

Muntather as a dignified Iraqi, used the only weapon available to him- HIS SHOES.

We all watched it and Mom and I burst into tears, tears of happiness and tears of grief.

Happiness because Muntather filled us with hope, hope that there are still brave heroes left in Iraq. Mom even called him the Salah El-Deen Al Ayubi/the new Saladin.

A historical moment in the Iraqi tragedy indeed and during Bush's last visit !

A historical moment that will be recorded as the ultimate humiliation to any American president and to the "American Empire" hahahahahahaha.

We were also filled with grief and recited the Fateeha, because we knew that Muntather Al-Zaidi signed his own death warrant. This guy is finished.

[BeFree]

19. A martyr?

Is not he then to become a martyr for the Iraqis to rally around?
What has bush unleashed there? Just as a semblance of peace seemed to
be taking hold, bush goes there an incites riots?

Bush should publicly call for the man to be released.