Iraqi Shoe Thrower (at Busch) Idolized

**MustavaMond** · 13-09-2009, 09:34 AM

Iraqi shoe thrower Muntazer al-Zaidi inundated with offers and gifts | World news | The Guardian

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Iraqi shoe thrower Muntazer al-Zaidi inundated with offers and gifts

As his size 10s spun through the air towards George W Bush, Muntazer al-Zaidi – the man the world now knows as the shoe-thrower – was bracing for an American bullet.
"He thought the secret service was going to shoot him," says Zaidi's younger brother, Maitham. "He expected that, and he was not afraid to die."
Zaidi's actions during the former US president's swansong visit to Iraq last December have not stopped reverberating in the nine months since.
Next Monday, when the journalist walks out of prison, his 10 raging seconds, which came to define his country's last six miserable years, are set to take on a new life even more dramatic than the opening act.
Across Iraq and in every corner of the Arab world, Zaidi is being feted.

The 20 words or so he spat at Bush – "This is your farewell kiss, you dog. This is for the widows and orphans of Iraq" – have been immortalised, and in many cases memorised.

Pictures of the president ducking have been etched onto walls across Baghdad, made into T-shirts in Egypt, and appeared in children's games in Turkey.

Zaidi has won the adulation of millions, who believe his act of defiance did what their leaders had been too cowed to do.
Iraq has been short of heroes since the dark days of Saddam Hussein, and many civilians are bestowing greatness on the figure that finally took the fight to an overlord.

"He is a David and Goliath figure," said Salah al-Janabi, a white goods salesman in downtown Baghdad. "When the history books are written, they will look back on this episode with great acclaim. Al-Zaidi's shoes were his slingshot."
From his prison cell, Zaidi has a sense of the gathering fuss, but not the full extent of the benefactors and patrons preparing for his release.
A new four-bedroom home has been built by his former boss. A new car – and the promise of many more – awaits.
Pledges of harems, money and healthcare are pouring in to his employers, the al-Baghdadia television channel.
"One Iraqi who lived in Morocco called to offer to send his daughter to be Muntazer's wife," said editor Abdul Hamid al-Saij.
"Another called from Saudi offering $10m for his shoes, and another called from Morocco offering a gold-saddled horse.
"After the event, we had callers from Palestine and many women asking to marry him, but we didn't take their names. Many of their reactions were emotional. We will see what happens when he is freed."
From the West Bank town of Nablus, Ahmed Jouda saw the incident on television news and felt so moved that he called together his relatives for a meeting in a nearby reception hall.
Jouda, 75, a farmer and head of a large extended family, convinced his relatives to contribute tens of thousands of dollars to support Zaidi's legal case.
Jouda himself decided to sell half his herd of goats; another man asked if he might offer a young woman from his family as a bride. Jouda said he would, if Zaidi was interested.
"I said we are willing to present him with a bride loaded with gold," said Jouda. "We are people of our word. If he decided to marry one of our daughters we would respect what we said.
"We are compassionate and supportive to the Iraqi people for what they have gone through.
"We are people who have tasted the bitterness, sorrow and agony of occupation too. What he did, he did for all the Arabs, not just the Iraqis, because Bush was the reason behind the problems of all the Arab world."
Zaidi's brother insists that no one put Muntazer up to such an act. But he revealed that Muntazer had told him he had pre-scripted at least one line ahead of the fateful press conference.
From the roof of his brother's new home, Maitham al-Zaidi said: "He always thought he would die as a martyr, either by al-Qaida or the Americans. More than once he was kidnapped by insurgents. He was surprised that Bush's guards didn't shoot him on the spot."
Muntazer al-Zaidi has told Maitham, and another brother, Vergam, that he is planning to open an orphanage when he leaves prison and will not work again as a journalist.
"He doesn't want his work to be a circus," said Vergam. "Every time he asked someone a difficult question they would have responded by asking whether he was going to throw his shoes at them."
Muntazer has alleged that after his actions he was tortured by government officials. Medical reports say he has lost at least one tooth and has two broken ribs and a broken foot that have not healed properly.
"He will stay in Iraq, but first he has to leave the country to get his health fixed," said Vergam.
In the run-up to his release, Maitham has a sense of the reception awaiting his brother.

"I feel like Michael Jackson at the moment. Everywhere I go, people are taking pictures of me and asking for my photo. If they do that for me, what will they do for Muntazer himself?"

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If only Busch hadn't ducked..

**mordred** · 13-09-2009, 11:51 AM

I'd think more of him if he would have actually hit the former president. I mean, Bush is just about brain dead and he dodged the throw twice.

**mtone9317** · 13-09-2009, 12:18 PM

Ah such short memories: First of all the former President was Bush, Busch is a beer. And as Commander-in-Chief of the USA armed forces, deposed one of the worst dictators in the late 1900's. Remember, Sadamm Hussein was putting billions in his pocket scamming (the Oil for Food Programe), starving the children of Iraq and blaming it on the US. Remember he hung the soccor team by meat hooks when they lost a game, remember that his two sons went into a wedding party took the bride, raped her and killed her. After shooting his mouth off to the US military he wound up hiding in a hole and the bastard was hung, none to soon.
So, throwing a shoe at the Pres, that was the best he could do, Big fffen deal.
The guy was a nobody, let's see what was his name.

**MustavaMond** · 13-09-2009, 02:13 PM

Originally Posted by mtone9317

Ah such short memories: First of all the former President was Bush, Busch is a beer. And as Commander-in-Chief of the USA armed forces, deposed one of the worst dictators in the late 1900's. Remember, Sadamm Hussein was putting billions in his pocket scamming (the Oil for Food Programe), starving the children of Iraq and blaming it on the US. Remember he hung the soccor team by meat hooks when they lost a game, remember that his two sons went into a wedding party took the bride, raped her and killed her. After shooting his mouth off to the US military he wound up hiding in a hole and the bastard was hung, none to soon.
So, throwing a shoe at the Pres, that was the best he could do, Big fffen deal.
The guy was a nobody, let's see what was his name.

I see we have a Faux "News "aficionado blowing hard into the progressive tornado about him who likes to state his lo IQ opinions as facts.

Al that demonizing about Saddam is just utter BS just like the WMD was.
Saddam's big crime was being a socialist.

RE: "Busch " Do you know what a pun is?

**MustavaMond** · 13-09-2009, 02:15 PM

8 Years of his presidency and that's the only thing he did with any grace or competence , lets give him a ducking tank instead of a library.
y

Originally Posted by mordred

I'd think more of him if he would have actually hit the former president. I mean, Bush is just about brain dead and he dodged the throw twice.

**BobR** · 13-09-2009, 02:19 PM

Too bad he did not have a gun instead of just his shoes. Bush and everyone in his inner circle deserve death for the damage they have done to this World.

**sabang** · 13-09-2009, 02:30 PM

Buy him a drink from me too.

watterinja · 13-09-2009, 02:51 PM

A hero deserves a hero's reward... A very, very brave young man.

**tuktukdriver** · 13-09-2009, 04:00 PM

Originally Posted by MustavaMond

Originally Posted by mtone9317

Ah such short memories: First of all the former President was Bush, Busch is a beer. And as Commander-in-Chief of the USA armed forces, deposed one of the worst dictators in the late 1900's. Remember, Sadamm Hussein was putting billions in his pocket scamming (the Oil for Food Programe), starving the children of Iraq and blaming it on the US. Remember he hung the soccor team by meat hooks when they lost a game, remember that his two sons went into a wedding party took the bride, raped her and killed her. After shooting his mouth off to the US military he wound up hiding in a hole and the bastard was hung, none to soon.
So, throwing a shoe at the Pres, that was the best he could do, Big fffen deal.
The guy was a nobody, let's see what was his name.

I see we have a Faux "News "aficionado blowing hard into the progressive tornado about him who likes to state his lo IQ opinions as facts.

Al that demonizing about Saddam is just utter BS just like the WMD was.
Saddam's big crime was being a socialist.

RE: "Busch " Do you know what a pun is?

You really don't know much about Saddam do you? He killed a lot of people, do some research.

**slackula** · 13-09-2009, 04:03 PM

Such a pity he missed, I'd have loved to a see a shoe bouncing off shrub's noggin.

**BobR** · 13-09-2009, 05:02 PM

Originally Posted by tuktukdriver

Originally Posted by MustavaMond

Originally Posted by mtone9317

Ah such short memories: First of all the former President was Bush, Busch is a beer. And as Commander-in-Chief of the USA armed forces, deposed one of the worst dictators in the late 1900's. Remember, Sadamm Hussein was putting billions in his pocket scamming (the Oil for Food Programe), starving the children of Iraq and blaming it on the US. Remember he hung the soccor team by meat hooks when they lost a game, remember that his two sons went into a wedding party took the bride, raped her and killed her. After shooting his mouth off to the US military he wound up hiding in a hole and the bastard was hung, none to soon.
So, throwing a shoe at the Pres, that was the best he could do, Big fffen deal.
The guy was a nobody, let's see what was his name.

I see we have a Faux "News "aficionado blowing hard into the progressive tornado about him who likes to state his lo IQ opinions as facts.

Al that demonizing about Saddam is just utter BS just like the WMD was.
Saddam's big crime was being a socialist.

RE: "Busch " Do you know what a pun is?

You really don't know much about Saddam do you? He killed a lot of people, do some research.

You could not possibly be naive enough to think the American presence in Iraq has anything to do with how many people Saddam killed, could you? Saddam could still be in power killing anyone (Iraqi) he wanted if he had not insisted on selling oil for Euros instead of dollars. Ask Robert Mugabe, it's quite OK with the American government if you kill people so long as you are not standing on oil while you do it.

**tuktukdriver** · 13-09-2009, 05:57 PM

Originally Posted by BobR

Originally Posted by tuktukdriver

Originally Posted by MustavaMond

Originally Posted by mtone9317

Ah such short memories: First of all the former President was Bush, Busch is a beer. And as Commander-in-Chief of the USA armed forces, deposed one of the worst dictators in the late 1900's. Remember, Sadamm Hussein was putting billions in his pocket scamming (the Oil for Food Programe), starving the children of Iraq and blaming it on the US. Remember he hung the soccor team by meat hooks when they lost a game, remember that his two sons went into a wedding party took the bride, raped her and killed her. After shooting his mouth off to the US military he wound up hiding in a hole and the bastard was hung, none to soon.
So, throwing a shoe at the Pres, that was the best he could do, Big fffen deal.
The guy was a nobody, let's see what was his name.

I see we have a Faux "News "aficionado blowing hard into the progressive tornado about him who likes to state his lo IQ opinions as facts.

Al that demonizing about Saddam is just utter BS just like the WMD was.
Saddam's big crime was being a socialist.

RE: "Busch " Do you know what a pun is?

You really don't know much about Saddam do you? He killed a lot of people, do some research.

You could not possibly be naive enough to think the American presence in Iraq has anything to do with how many people Saddam killed, could you? Saddam could still be in power killing anyone (Iraqi) he wanted if he had not insisted on selling oil for Euros instead of dollars. Ask Robert Mugabe, it's quite OK with the American government if you kill people so long as you are not standing on oil while you do it.

I wasn't talking about why the US went in. I'm just noting that Saddam was a demon. I lost a friend in the first Gulf War and that alone made me happy to see that A-hole hang from a rope. I only wish they would have tortured him first.

Dan · 13-09-2009, 05:58 PM

Originally Posted by tuktukdriver

You really don't know much about Saddam do you? He killed a lot of people, do some research.

Not as many as the US-UK axis of evil, but, hey, who's keeping score?

**gbt71fa** · 13-09-2009, 05:59 PM

Originally Posted by BobR

Originally Posted by tuktukdriver

Originally Posted by MustavaMond

Originally Posted by mtone9317

Ah such short memories: First of all the former President was Bush, Busch is a beer. And as Commander-in-Chief of the USA armed forces, deposed one of the worst dictators in the late 1900's. Remember, Sadamm Hussein was putting billions in his pocket scamming (the Oil for Food Programe), starving the children of Iraq and blaming it on the US. Remember he hung the soccor team by meat hooks when they lost a game, remember that his two sons went into a wedding party took the bride, raped her and killed her. After shooting his mouth off to the US military he wound up hiding in a hole and the bastard was hung, none to soon.
So, throwing a shoe at the Pres, that was the best he could do, Big fffen deal.
The guy was a nobody, let's see what was his name.

I see we have a Faux "News "aficionado blowing hard into the progressive tornado about him who likes to state his lo IQ opinions as facts.

Al that demonizing about Saddam is just utter BS just like the WMD was.
Saddam's big crime was being a socialist.

RE: "Busch " Do you know what a pun is?

You really don't know much about Saddam do you? He killed a lot of people, do some research.

You could not possibly be naive enough to think the American presence in Iraq has anything to do with how many people Saddam killed, could you? Saddam could still be in power killing anyone (Iraqi) he wanted if he had not insisted on selling oil for Euros instead of dollars. Ask Robert Mugabe, it's quite OK with the American government if you kill people so long as you are not standing on oil while you do it.

Saddam was a nationalist you idiot, a Baathist,l not a socialists. His ideaology was Pan-Arab Nationalism. And, no, it is not the same, Captain Braniac. I really wish you pathetic euros would just shut-up and ignore the world's problem like you always have done. Your stale, irrelevant countries can keep weening on the dwindling tourist dollars while you let others fight your enemies. If you idiots had to try to at least inforce the 17 UN resolutions put forth against Saddam maybe this could have been avoided but, like always, you are just words. There is a reason that North Korea and Iran just laugh at anything announced by the U.N. and the only country they want to talk to is the one country that will do something about it. Now there is talk of a Euro Army? Most of your idiot countries refuse to leave their bases in Afghanistan or won't even work on weekends!!! When Russia invaded Georgia last year they didn't even respond to anything the Euros had to say and only reacted to what was said in the U.S. Why? Because he knows that Europe is stagnant mass where courage is something that is read about in their hisstory books. Russia only responded to what was said in the U.S. because they know Europe will do nothing and only the U.S. would and we are half way around the world...Balkans any one? Pathetic and god help you if you ever have to defend yourself. Oh yes....Bite me.

**slackula** · 13-09-2009, 06:01 PM

Originally Posted by tuktukdriver

I'm just noting that Saddam was a demon.

A 'demon'? Do you also think that shrub was the easter bunny or something?

Originally Posted by tuktukdriver

I lost a friend in the first Gulf War

Sorry you lost a friend, was he a soldier?

**mc2** · 13-09-2009, 07:13 PM

i bet he practised for weeks, his aim was excellent.

only bushes quick reflexes saved him.

**mtone9317** · 13-09-2009, 09:08 PM

I see there are a bunch of Bush and America haters on this forum. They let their hatred cover up the facts.
Oil for Food Progam is a fact. The US was sending the UN approx 1 billion a month to supply Food to Iraq in Exchange oil, for food for the starving Iraqis. France, and Germany were supposed to be sending food brokers by Kafi Annan/s son. Billions were siphoned off to build palaces for Sadam H. School books had pages of quotes by him.
You better read some books--these are facts not opinions.
Do you hear of Iraqis starving now? If they were every bleeding heart liberal in America would be screaming and the NY Times would have it on the front page.
Thousands of Iraqi children are now going to school--in schools that have been rebuilt by the USA--and their school supplies are coming thanks to the US.
You can bad mouth the USA all you want, but the first goverment to supply help in an emergency is the US, Thailand, Pakistan, even Iran was offered help when thousands were killed by an earthquake.
You see many of my former students were in Iraq and several are their now. One of my favorite students is there. Do not fkking dare to bad mouth them--I know them personally. They are risking their lives to try to make life better for the Iraqs who now have a measure of freedom they haven't had in 30 years.

**mordred** · 13-09-2009, 09:13 PM

Originally Posted by mtone9317

I see there are a bunch of Bush and America haters on this forum. They let their hatred cover up the facts.
Oil for Food Progam is a fact. The US was sending the UN approx 1 billion a month to supply Food to Iraq in Exchange oil, for food for the starving Iraqis. France, and Germany were supposed to be sending food brokers by Kafi Annan/s son. Billions were siphoned off to build palaces for Sadam H. School books had pages of quotes by him.
You better read some books--these are facts not opinions.
Do you hear of Iraqis starving now? If they were every bleeding heart liberal in America would be screaming and the NY Times would have it on the front page.
Thousands of Iraqi children are now going to school--in schools that have been rebuilt by the USA--and their school supplies are coming thanks to the US.
You can bad mouth the USA all you want, but the first goverment to supply help in an emergency is the US, Thailand, Pakistan, even Iran was offered help when thousands were killed by an earthquake.
You see many of my former students were in Iraq and several are their now. One of my favorite students is there. Do not fkking dare to bad mouth them--I know them personally. They are risking their lives to try to make life better for the Iraqs who now have a measure of freedom they haven't had in 30 years.

Thank the Chinese for their loans or we wouldn't have the money. We're almost bankrupt from the two Bush terms. BTW, that money still needs to be paid back at some point in some way. Why did we do nothing in Burma when people were being killed in the streets in pro democracy protests?

**MrG** · 13-09-2009, 09:43 PM

Originally Posted by mordred

Why did we do nothing in Burma when people were being killed in the streets in pro democracy protests?

Not enough oil in Burma.

Originally Posted by mtone9317

I see there are a bunch of Bush and America haters on this forum.

Bush hater...yes. America hater...? You mean like the right wing whacks trying to create a failed presidency to win an election...? Doesn't sound like a patriot to me.

Originally Posted by mtone9317

Do you hear of Iraqis starving now?

Just had an idea. Now that we've liberated Iraq, let's liberate the West Bank and Gaza from under the Israeli boot.
Liberate Tibet from China. They deserve it too.
Burma from the Generals.
North Korea.
Overthrow Mugabi.

**mordred** · 14-09-2009, 12:37 AM

Why is it that whole parts of the thread are being deleted? I hate that.

**DrAndy** · 14-09-2009, 12:52 AM

Originally Posted by tuktukdriver

You really don't know much about Saddam do you? He killed a lot of people, do some research.

yes, so did Bush

Originally Posted by tuktukdriver

I lost a friend in the first Gulf War and that alone made me happy to see that A-hole hang from a rope

your friend was killed in Iraq? what was he doing there? blame Saddam for defending his country

**mtone9317** · 14-09-2009, 01:08 AM

Free speech. Although I disagree with you, you have a right to say anything you wish except if you are an American, you know that advocating violent overthrow of the gov is treason. Recently, a visiting UC Berkley prof was sent home to the Middle East for exactly that reason. If you are in the US, you can stand on Market Street in SF, with a sign stating your opinions, and fortuneatley, no one will pay attention to you.
Just exactly what do think would have happened had that man thrown a shoe at Saddam H? He would have been taken out and shot like many of his enemies. Hundreds of murdered Shias have been found in grave sites all over Iraq. A bus load of police recruits was captured by the al-Queda, they were killed execution style.
The US military captures enemies and puts them in prison and tortures them by making them pose with pink panties on, oh it's that terrible.
I don't get my information from the mainstream media, I turned off my TV a year ago last Jan, and I don't read the NYT, LA Times, or the SF Chron for my information. I talk to the servicemen coming back home from Iraq, they have been there, not some GD journalist hiding in a hotel collecting inform from a street person, and I talk to my SE Asian (Laos) former student who was one of the greatest humans I have even known who is there now in the US Army.
And I don't try to win an arguement by calling names...ignorant teenagers do that.

**Scooter** · 14-09-2009, 01:19 AM

Originally Posted by mtone9317

Just exactly what do think would have happened had that man thrown a shoe at Saddam H? He would have been taken out and shot like many of his enemies.

Instead the the guy had his teeth knocked out by his liberated gov.

Originally Posted by mtone9317

The US military captures enemies and puts them in prison and tortures them by making them pose with pink panties on, oh it's that terrible.

Umm did a bit more than that didn't they.

**Scooter** · 14-09-2009, 01:21 AM

The guy should open a shoe shop.

**woodenshoe** · 14-09-2009, 04:56 AM

he can borrow one of mine for his next attempt... they really hurt..

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