The shoe-thrower, Muntadhar al-Zaidi, an Iraqi journalist with Egypt-based al-Baghdadia television network

Farewell Iraqi-style: How Iraqis bid vilified leaders goodbye

by Amr al-Azm

As I sat there watching with incredulity and a sense of Schadenfreude that an Iraqi journalist sent one shoe and then the other hurtling at George Bush’s head, I could only reflect on how the same Iraqis, some five year ago, were directing the very same shoes at the face of another much vilified leader: Saddam Hussein.

In Arab culture, showing the soles of the shoes is a sign of great disrespect; throwing a shoe then becomes a symbol of even greater contempt. Bush’s recent unscheduled visit to Iraq, as part of a supposed victory lap, crowning the achievements of his eight-year presidency, ended in ignominy with a shoe in the face.

Yet it is interesting to note that despite the catastrophic blunders, the explosion of sectarian violence, and the ceaseless attacks against U.S. troops, President Bush was eventually able to reverse flagging U.S. fortunes and to return some credibility to the U.S. invasion. This was achieved after much procrastination by instigating the now famed “Surge” which was coupled more importantly with a significant U-turn on many key policies in Iraq. However, despite this downward trend in violence and the apparent slow and often hesitant, but steady, march by the Iraqi people towards rebuilding their shattered nation, the best gesture by way of gratitude that President Bush could muster on his final visit to Iraq was a pair of shoes flying towards his face.

It is worthwhile noting that recently, President Bush’s closest advisors have embarked on a co-ordinated attempt to defend his record while promoting his greatest accomplishments these past eight years. Those closest to the president say it’s time to set the “record straight,” namely because such a finale to the eight-year Bush symphony, of which they themselves have been part and parcel of, will reflect positively on them as well.

Sadly though, such efforts will come to naught. History has the unfortunate habit of remembering presidents for events such as the shoe-pelting incident of Sunday morning. Therefore it is likely that Mr. Bush will mostly be remembered for nothing more than as “the President who had a old pair of size-ten shoes thrown at him at a press conference.”

Ultimately, the question remains whether reporters in Afghanistan, the next stop on the President’s tour, will be allowed to attend the prearranged press conference with their shoes on.

Amr Al-Azm is Visiting Professor in the Department of Political Science at Brigham Young University in Provo Utah