Iraqi Reporter/Journalist Throws 2 Shoes At President Bush During Live Press/News Conference
President George W. Bush ducked two shoes thrown at him by an unidentified man during a press conference in the Iraqi prime ministers office to mark the signing of a security agreement.
Bush wasnt hit by the shoes, which both sailed over his head after they were thrown one after the other. The president shrugged and said Im OK after the incident in Baghdad today. All I can report is it is a size 10, Bush said afterwards.
In Arab culture, throwing shoes is a grave show of disrespect. The man shouted an Arabic phrase, which an Iraqi present translated as this is a farewell kiss, dog.
After U.S. troops pulled down a statue of former dictator Saddam Hussein in 2003, Iraqi bystanders tossed shoes at it, according to news reports at the time. Bush said todays incident was an example of free speech in a democracy.
The man threw the shoes from about 25 feet away as Bush, standing with Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, made formal remarks before the signing of the Iraqi-U.S. agreement. Maliki tried to block the second thrown shoe as it flew toward Bush, according to video of the incident shown on television.
Wrestled to Ground
The shoe-thrower, who was in a group of journalists, was wrestled to the ground and taken away. This is the end, shouted the man, later identified by the ociated Press as Muntadar al-Zeidi, a correspondent for Al-Baghdadia television, an Iraqi-owned station based in Cairo, Egypt.
At the signing ceremony, Bush said a free and democratic Iraq will now become a force for freedom and a source of stability in a volatile region.
There is still more work to be done, Bush said. The war is not over. The president said that with the agreement, and the courage of the Iraqi people, and the Iraqi troops, and American troops and civilian personnel, it is decisively on its way to being won.
Bush arrived today in Baghdad on a surprise visit — his last to Iraq as commander-in-chief — to celebrate the agreement, thank U.S. troops and meet with Iraqi leaders.
It was Bushs fourth visit to a nation transformed by the U.S.-led war he started in 2003. It follows three weeks after Iraqs parliament approved an accord with the U.S. that provides for the withdrawal of American troops by the end of 2011.
Obamas Plan
President-elect Barack Obama has said one of his first acts as commander-in-chief would be to direct his military commanders to begin withdrawing troops as quickly as we can while maintaining stability in Iraq, ensuring the safety of U.S. troops and preventing a resurgence of terrorism.
The president has made three previous unannounced trips to Iraq — on Thanksgiving 2003, June 13, 2006, and Sept. 3, 2007.
While those earlier trips were intended largely to bolster troop morale and shore up domestic support for the unpopular war, Bushs latest Iraq visit amounted to a valedictory appearance. He leaves office on Jan. 20.
Bush later today addressed more than 1,000 troops at Camp Victory, the staging area in Baghdad for U.S. forces. The surge of additional U.S. troops sent to Iraq early last year to quell sectarian violence has been one of the greatest successes in the history of the U.S. military, Bush said.
Duration : 0:0:47
January 31st, 2009 at 9:06 am
omg that is so …
omg that is so ing funnyy?????But he deserve a right in he’s ugly s face . لله أكبر
January 31st, 2009 at 9:06 am
ok…..?
ok…..?
January 31st, 2009 at 9:06 am
Bush has the …
Bush has the reflexes of a cat!
Did you know he used to be a cheerleader?
January 31st, 2009 at 9:06 am
allah is the …
allah is the greatest
January 31st, 2009 at 9:06 am
ARABS and ISLAMIC …
ARABS and ISLAMIC FANATICS were used by USA. Those Islamic fanatics and ARABS are too emotional to understand fact. Those fanatics and Arabs were used by USA to kill secular and Communist Muslims to prevent Russian influence. Now, those Islamic fanatics and Arabs are fighting with USA. USA has brain and easily introduced Muslim and ARABS as terrorists. Islamic fanatics and ARABS are as STUPID as DONKEY and can be easily used. IRANIANS ARE NOW BEING USED BY RUSSIA. Now, Shia and Sunni hate!!!
January 31st, 2009 at 9:06 am
Journalist has to …
Journalist has to ask questions, not to throw SHOE. ARABS were never CIVILIZED and will never be CIVILIZED. Their ideologies: Al-Hind (Hindu), Al-Yahudy (Jews), Christians (Al-Inzil, Zabuur and Tauhorat), Al-Musololman (Muslim) are just the factions born by their UNCIVILIZED activities. Now, an UNCIVILIZED ARAB (LADEN) created a KILLING GROUP and introduced prophet MUHAMMED as terrorist. IN 1971 SAUDI ARABIA AND USA helped PAKISTAN and Islamic fanatics to kill millions of people in BANGLADESH.
January 31st, 2009 at 9:06 am
except the reporter …
except the reporter got the kicked out of him afterwards, had he done the same to a cevillian they police would not even care but because it is the scum bush, the reporter must be punished
January 31st, 2009 at 9:06 am
thats great iraqi …
thats great iraqi man
January 31st, 2009 at 9:06 am
Grr I hate it when …
Grr I hate it when people dont say Iraq right! So does my friend who is from Iraq!Its Ir-aq! Not I rack!Get it right Fox News and almost all of the US!
January 31st, 2009 at 9:06 am
Allah o Akbare
…
Allah o Akbare
—————-
January 31st, 2009 at 9:06 am
Whats next Iran?
Whats next Iran?
January 31st, 2009 at 9:06 am
this is democracy …
this is democracy any body can do anything to punish the real culprit.
January 31st, 2009 at 9:06 am
excellent farewell …
excellent farewell to mr. bush
January 31st, 2009 at 9:06 am
great vid
i …
great vid
i liked this video
mz
January 31st, 2009 at 9:06 am
hhhhhhhh good gob …
hhhhhhhh good gob throwing uranium bombs over people’s homes,tearing children’s bodies,making them orphans or handicapped,allowing abu gharib prison and guantanamo are civilized acts!!! i pity you!!
January 31st, 2009 at 9:06 am
XD Wow. Too bad he …
XD Wow. Too bad he didn’t hit the Shrub.
January 31st, 2009 at 9:06 am
nice duck!
nice duck!
January 31st, 2009 at 9:06 am
That’s some quick …
That’s some quick refleves Bush’s got there…
Bush might’ve represented the US, but I don’t think he really just represents a failed Presidency now. So all of you who think it’s an insult to the country, think of the Iraqis who had their nation run over by a foreign power without their permission. How would you feel if China took over us just like that?Even if they claim to be liberating people?
I don’t take sides in politics. This is just a logical look at why the reporter did what he did.
January 31st, 2009 at 9:06 am
Well Im Size 12 …
Well Im Size 12 dude. hahaha ; )
January 31st, 2009 at 9:06 am
My aunt wears a …
My aunt wears a size 11 shoe! Haa haa, Ms Bigfeet!
January 31st, 2009 at 9:06 am
The anchor probably …
The anchor probably laughed it all off after the intermission lol
January 31st, 2009 at 9:06 am
hahaa,there are …
hahaa,there are going to be millons of AVATARS, of Bush avoiding the shoe xd!
January 31st, 2009 at 9:06 am
lol he was duckin …
lol he was duckin tho hahaha and the other girl got a black eye haha thats funny
January 31st, 2009 at 9:06 am
…
LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL
He deserve it ,, i wish i could to the same thing ,,
January 31st, 2009 at 9:06 am
The Bush is coming …
The Bush is coming down…..the shoes are up