Worldwide Response to Shoe Thrower

It looks like this is the most talked about news bit throughout the world, apart from the financial crisis. Those who don't believe in the US invasion of Iraq or are unconvinced with the failed US effort in Iraq, applaud Zaidi's courage and demand his release. On the other hand, those who desire to promote the American-brand of democracy and her business interests feel insulted by what they would call a brash behavior as a journalist and would demand Zaidi's imprisonment.

Was this an uncalled for insult against a nation that calls itself the defender of freedom? Or, was this the delayed yet brave response of a nation that had been insulted and degraded by a five-year war to "liberate" it from oppression?

Shoe thrower 'beaten in custody'

The brother of the Iraqi journalist who threw his shoes at US President George W Bush has said that the reporter has been beaten in custody.

Muntadar al-Zaidi has suffered a broken hand, broken ribs and internal bleeding, as well as an eye injury, his older brother, Dargham, told the BBC.

Mr Zaidi threw his shoes at Mr Bush at a news conference, calling him "a dog".

The head of Iraq's journalists' union told the BBC that officials told him Mr Zaidi was being treated well.

The union head, Mouyyad al-Lami, said he hoped to visit his colleague later.

An Iraqi official said Mr Zaidi had been handed over to the judicial authorities, according to the AFP news agency. 

Earlier, Dargham al-Zaidi told the BBC's Caroline Wyatt in Baghdad he believed his brother had been taken to a US military hospital in the Iraqi capital.

A second day of rallies in support of Mr Zaidi have been held across Iraq, calling for his release.

Meanwhile, offers to buy the shoes are being made around the Arab world, reports say.

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What a Shoe Attack Means in the Middle East

In 2003 when the US invaded Irag and toppled Saddam Hussein, news networks showed irate Iraqis climbing Saddam's giant statue and hitting its head with their shoes and sandals minutes before it was toppled. I wondered what that meant to Middle Eastern culture.

Now in 2008, an irate journalist threw both shoes in quick succession and with unbelievable accuracy at US president George Bush! According to Al Jazeera news, "Throwing shoes at somebody is a supreme insult in the Middle East." Now we know.

How angry are the Iraqis against the US? It seems from many international news sources and from reliable government analysts that the verdict is the US-led effort to to reconstruct Iraq failed. Why would anyone go so far as to insult the most powerful political figure on earth?

In Luke 10, Jesus instructed his disciples to shake the dust off their sandals if the good news was not received by a particular town. Was that the same cultural gesture? Did the US bring good news to Iraq, the Middle East, and the rest of the world? What really is the good news?

President Bush caught in shoe attack in Iraq

An Iraqi journalist has thrown his shoes at Bush in his last visit to Baghdad, shouting: "This is a goodbye kiss from the Iraqi people, dog."

One of the shoes narrowly missed the president's head and slammed into the wall behind him.

Nuri al-Maliki, the Iraqi prime minister, tried to block the second with his arm.

Throwing shoes at somebody is a supreme insult in the Middle East.

From Al Jazeera

The video is also available here on YouTube. If the videos have been taken down by authorities, try to google for "Bush shoes".