Five weeks before he was to leave office, President George W. Bush made a trip to Iraq to get some credit for the improved situation there due to the recent troop surge. On Dec. 14, 2008, he was giving a joint press conference with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. Suddenly, an Iraqi journalist named Montadhar al-Zaidi leapt to his feet and hurled a shoe at the President. He yelled “This is a farewell kiss from the Iraqi people, you dog.” He then threw a second shoe and yelled “This is for the widows, the orphans, and those who were killed in Iraq.” Bush successfully dodged both shoes. The second hit an American flag behind him. Al-Zaidi was quickly mobbed by Iraqi security and taken out of the room to be beaten. Shoes are considered unclean by Muslims and one of the most offensive things that can be done to a person is to be hit by a shoe. Bush waved off his Secret Service and continued the press conference. He drew laughs when he siad “All I can report is it is a size 10.” Later, upon reflection, he told reporters “It’s a way for people to draw attention. I don’t know what the guy’s cause was. I didn’t feel the least bit threatened by him.” Al-Zaidi was sentenced to three years in prison, he serve 9 months before being released. He became a cult hero in Iraq.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_W._Bush_shoe-throwing_incident
https://www.politico.com/story/2008/12/bush-ducks-two-shoes-hurled-by-iraqi-016566
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