Posted this two years ago...During a news conference with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, Bush received a taste of the immense resentment many Iraqis feel toward his policies: Just after Bush finished his remarks and said “Thank you” in Arabic, an Iraqi journalist took off his shoes and hurled them both at Bush, one after the other. The incident lent an air of chaos and farce to a trip intended to highlight improving security conditions in the war-torn country.
“This is a farewell kiss!” the man, identified as Muntadar al-Zaidi, a reporter with the Cairo-based network Al Baghdadia Television, yelled as he threw the shoes. Bush had to duck out of the way, and narrowly missed being hit, according to on-scene reports. Al-Maliki reached out his hand to shield the president.
Zaidi started to yell “Dog, dog!” as he was surrounded by security agents, who tackled him to the floor and began to beat him. Zaidi was later removed from the ornate room where the news conference was taking place.
To throw a shoe is the worst sign of contempt in this part of the world. What is it that John the Baptist said in Sunday's Gospel, "I am unworthy to unti his shoe strap..." Without Christ we are worse then dogs, we are poor, condemned miserable sinners without hope.
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