Shoes

Image from: www.reuters.com/news/pictures

Apparently, in Arab customs one of the gravest insults you can commit is to throw a shoe at somebody. That is probably why the Iraqi journalist who threw his shoes at President Bush is being detained. He actually got off a pretty good throw if the article that I read is correct. I quote, ". . . flung one shoe at Bush, forcing him to duck, followed by another, which sailed over Bush's head and slammed into the wall behind him. . ."
Among Iraqis there are mixed feelings about this act. Some people are hailing the journalist as a national hero, and staging protests for his release. Others (such as the government) are calling the act "barbaric".
I can easily see how people would be angry at the U.S. The journalist was angry at the president for bringing in troupes, starting a war, and causing the deaths of Iraqi citizens. Many people echo this view point while other oppose it.
Personally, I'm rather impressed the journalist got close enough with his shoe to make the president duck. It's sort of hard to aim a shoe, because of the shape, and isn't there supposed to be security around? Wouldn't people wonder what you were doing if you suddenly took off your shoe in the middle of a press conference? Speaking of security, wasn't the security around there rather bad? What if somebody had thrown something other than a shoe?
Flying shoes and all, this only reminds me why I never, ever, want to be a politician let alone president.