News Bush in Baghdad - 2 Shoes, Size 10

[LowlyPion]

Shoe thrower 'beaten in custody'
Shoes thrown at George Bush
Muntadar al-Zaidi was wrestled to the ground and dragged away

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.

Hero figure

Mr Zaidi told our correspondent that despite offers from many lawyers his brother has not been given access to a legal representative since being arrested by forces under the command of Mowaffaq al-Rubaie, Iraq's national security adviser.

We hope the government and judiciary consider his release because he has a family and he is still young
Mouyyad al-Lami, Iraqi journalists' union

The Iraqi authorities have said the 28-year-old will be prosecuted under Iraqi law, although it is not yet clear what the charges might be.

Iraqi lawyers have speculated that he could face charges of insulting a foreign leader and the Iraqi Prime Minister, Nouri Maliki, who was standing next to President Bush during the incident. The offence carries a maximum penalty of two years in jail.

Our correspondent says that the previously little-known journalist from the private Cairo-based al-Baghdadia TV has become a hero to many, not just in Iraq but across the Arab world, for what many saw as a fitting send-off for a deeply unpopular US president.

As he flung the shoes, Mr Zaidi shouted: "This is a goodbye kiss from the Iraqi people, dog."

Dargham al-Zaidi told the BBC that his brother deliberately bought Iraqi-made shoes, which were dark brown with laces. They were bought from a shop on al-Khyam street, a well-known shopping street in central Baghdad.

However, not everyone in Iraq has been supportive of the journalist's action.

Speaking earlier in Baghdad, Mouyyad al-Lami described Mr Zaidi's action as "strange and unprofessional", but urged Mr Maliki to show compassion.

"Even if he has made a mistake, the government and the judiciary are broad-minded and we hope they consider his release because he has a family and he is still young," he told the Associated Press news agency.

"We hope this case ends before going to court."

Abducted by insurgents

The shoes themselves are said to have attracted bids from around the Arab world.

According to unconfirmed newspaper reports, the former coach of the Iraqi national football team, Adnan Hamad, has offered $100,000 (£65,000) for the shoes, while a Saudi citizen has apparently offered $10m (£6.5m).

Muntadar al-Zaidi (file image)
Mr Zaidi said his actions were for Iraqi widows and orphans
The daughter of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, Aicha, said her charity would honour the reporter with a medal of courage, saying his action was a "victory for human rights".

The charity called on the media to support Mr Zaidi and put pressure on the Iraqi government to free him.

Mr Zaidi, who lives in Baghdad, has worked for al-Baghdadia for three years.

Muzhir al-Khafaji, programming director for the channel, described him as a "proud Arab and an open-minded man".

He said that Mr Zaidi was a graduate of communications from Baghdad University.

"He has no ties with the former regime. His family was arrested under Saddam's regime," he said.

Mr Zaidi has previously been abducted by insurgents and held twice for questioning by US forces in Iraq.

In November 2007 he was kidnapped by a gang on his way to work in central Baghdad and released three days later without a ransom.

He said at the time that the kidnappers had beaten him until he lost consciousness, and used his necktie to blindfold him.

Mr Zaidi never learned the identity of his kidnappers, who questioned him about his work before letting him go.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/7785338.stm

 

[mheslep]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/7785338.stm

..Our correspondent says that the previously little-known journalist from the private Cairo-based al-Baghdadia TV has become a hero to many, not just in Iraq but across the Arab world, for what many saw as a fitting send-off for a deeply unpopular US president.

Sigh. I used to be merely tired of these claims, though now its evolved into amusement, from some 'correspondent' who claims he can survey the entire world, and relay the opinion of the 'many', within 24 hours of an event from their barstool in the local press watering hole.

 

[DropGems]

Was the guy wearing a Che Guevara shirt as well? Pretty original to show disdain for Bush these days.

Bush should make sure the journalist doesn't get arrested or charged and should send him a bottle of champagne with a little note saying something along the lines of, "Enjoy exercising your new acquired freedoms. ps: Your throw sucks. Loser! Dubya out"

 

[WarPhalange]

Was the guy wearing a Che Guevara shirt as well? Pretty original to show disdain for Bush these days.

Pretty original to show disdain for Hitler these days as well. Gee, I wonder why?

Bush should make sure the journalist doesn't get arrested or charged and should send him a bottle of champagne with a little note saying something along the lines of, "Enjoy exercising your new acquired freedoms. ps: Your throw sucks. Loser! Dubya out"

He could send the man a new pair of shoes with his signature on them.

 

[WarPhalange]

The POTUS is pretty much the highest form of community service any given citizen could perform.

Someone needs to tell him that. With all of his "executive privilege" and "I don't care what people think about the war, I think it's right." Not much community service going on there.

Totally. Reagan was the man.

A little extreme for throwing a shoe, but security isn't going to be too worried about an attacker's health when they're protecting a head of state from a threat (possible assassination would probably be an exaggeration in this instance, but an attack is an attack).

There was no telling if this was just some crazy guy or the start of an actual attack. The SS should get 10 lashes for taking that long to respond, though. Nobody even jumped in front of the president to take a shoe to the chest for him.

 

[seycyrus]

Pretty original to show disdain for Hitler these days as well. Gee, I wonder why?

Well, no sane person would compare Bush to Hitler.

 

[BobG]

There was no telling if this was just some crazy guy or the start of an actual attack. The SS should get 10 lashes for taking that long to respond, though. Nobody even jumped in front of the president to take a shoe to the chest for him.

Yes, they did. Watch the video. After the second shoe was thrown, the Secret Service guy is right there. If the reporter had three feet, the Secret Service guy would have been all over it and would have taken one for the Prez.

Pretty embarrassing for the Secret Service. Secret Service Defends Shoe Response

I would expect that changes will be made. From now on, all reporters at press conferences will have to remove their shoes. I imagine a side effect is that reporters will ask much easier questions. It's tough to ask hardball questions when you're barefoot, plus who wants to discover that building staff has accidently spilled their Starbucks in your shoe; or the house cat has found a new litterbox. Going shoeless creates a whole new dynamic for reporters.

Whatever happens, this definitely tops Nikita Kruschev's shoe incident.

 

[WarPhalange]

Yes, they did. Watch the video. After the second (emphasis mine) shoe was thrown, the Secret Service guy is right there. If the reporter had three feet, the Secret Service guy would have been all over it and would have taken one for the Prez.

Not good enough. All it takes is one shoe to kill someone. They need to watch more "24" as part of the SS training.

I would expect that changes will be made. From now on, all reporters at press conferences will have to remove their shoes. I imagine a side effect is that reporters will ask much easier questions. It's tough to ask hardball questions when you're barefoot, plus who wants to discover that building staff has accidently spilled their Starbucks in your shoe; or the house cat has found a new litterbox. Going shoeless creates a whole new dynamic for reporters.

Going shoeless is a bit barbaric. I expect that reporters will have to store their shoes in lockers and be given out ultra-light foam flip-flops that cannot fly past 1m without being stopped by air resistance. This will probably go for all White House staff, as well.

Well, no sane person would compare Bush to Hitler.

Irrelevant. My point was sometimes people are hated because they deserve to be hated.

EDIT:

I'd also like to add:

One more if it's okay:

 

[LowlyPion]

Whatever happens, this definitely tops Nikita Kruschev's shoe incident.

No one offered any money for Khrushchev's shoe either.

I hope this guy is smart enough to demand his shoes when he is released.

If only he can get Bush to autograph the pair, they could be worth a lot more even.

 

[mgb_phys]

Does this mean we are only going to be able to take 4oz or smaller shoes on planes now?

 

[WarPhalange]

No, it means that when you have to take off your shoes at the airport, you won't get them back until you are at the other airport. Which of course also means you will end up with a missing shoe, two left shoes, someone else's shoes, damaged shoes, etc.

Heaven forbid they lose your shoes and you have to wait a few days to have them send them right to your door.

 

[mgb_phys]

If you wear flares will you need a concealed shoe permit?
Will there be a five day waiting period at shoe shops?
What about a ban on stilettos?

 

[drankin]

Will shoe-kwon-do be outlawed? Will the masters of this art have to be licensed.

 

[WarPhalange]

People who wear socks with sandals will be shot on sight.

 

[LowlyPion]

Perhaps in the future the dress code for Press Conferences will be Crocs only for footwear?

 

[devil-fire]

Perhaps in the future the dress code for Press Conferences will be Crocs only for footwear?

I think it is much more likely they will just not let in people who are hostile toward the official answering question.

 

[mgb_phys]

I think it is much more likely they will just not let in people who are hostile toward the official answering question.

Could be a bad move - jackboots don't have good aerodynamics, but they hurt when they hit.

 

[LowlyPion]

I think it is much more likely they will just not let in people who are hostile toward the official answering question.

Maybe just not let in newspeople that have been kidnapped off the streets and tortured?

 

[WarPhalange]

BREAKING NEWS:

Iraqis are OUTRAGED over the shoe incident!


They want the shoe thrower freed!

Back home, people see this as either hilarious or inspiring:
http://video.aol.com/video-detail/the-view-george-bushs-shoe-trouble/4059529494/?icid=VIDURVENT06

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036677/#28285861 (it's the first video)

 

[LURCH]

Did anyone see the Fox News Alert on this? "Many people are already claiming that there's no way the journalist in custody could have taken off both shoes and thrown them in tha three seconds the incident took. Some have begun to speculate about a 'second assailant' throwing shoes from off-camera, possibly from the nearby graasy knoll..."

"This year's winner of Iraq's 'Throw a Shoe at the Head of State' contest has been announced. This year also marks the first year in which the winner will not be torured and killed..."

 

[wildman]

Do you think he is going to be a reporter after this? No, he will get fired. Because he crossed the line. Where's the problem?

His immediate employer may fire him for political reasons, but he is going to be a hero in most of the Arab World. After he gets out of jail (where he will be a hero among the inmates), he has a great future as a speaker. I bet he will make tens of thousands of dollars per speach. Bush is VERY unpopular in much of the World.

 

[LowlyPion]

It's an ill wind indeed that blows no good. At least Bush's incompetence has led to something positive for the Turkish economy. (Just 28 more days.)

Shoe Hurled at Bush Flies Off Turkish Maker’s Shelves (Update1)
By Mark Bentley

Dec. 19 (Bloomberg) -- The shoe hurled at President George W. Bush has sent sales soaring at the Turkish maker as orders pour in from Iraq, the U.S. and Iran.

The brown, thick-soled “Model 271” may soon be renamed “The Bush Shoe” or “Bye-Bye Bush,” Ramazan Baydan, who owns the Istanbul-based producer Baydan Ayakkabicilik San. & Tic., said in a telephone interview today.

“We’ve been selling these shoes for years but, thanks to Bush, orders are flying in like crazy,” he said. “We’ve even hired an agency to look at television advertising.”

Iraqi journalist Muntadar al-Zeidi hurled a pair at Bush at a news conference in Baghdad on Dec. 14. Both shoes missed the president after he ducked. The journalist was jailed and is seeking a pardon from Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki.

Baydan has received orders for 300,000 pairs of the shoes since the attack, more than four times the number his company sold each year since the model was introduced in 1999. The company plans to employ 100 more staff to meet demand, he said.

“Model 271” is exported to markets including Iraq, Iran, Syria and Egypt. Customers in Iraq ordered 120,000 pairs this week and some Iraqis offered to set up distribution companies for the shoe, Baydan said.

Baydan has received a request for 4,000 pairs from a company called Davidson, based in Maryland. He declined to provide further details.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601085&sid=auI050ptHyPg

 

[BobG]

It's an ill wind indeed that blows no good. At least Bush's incompetence has led to something positive for the Turkish economy. (Just 28 more days.)

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601085&sid=auI050ptHyPg

Maybe. There's conflicting claims as to the make of shoe. The brother claims the shoes were made in Iraq by Alaa Haddad. A Lebanese company and a Chinese company are claiming they made the shoes, as well.

I haven't actually seen any pictures of a Bucati Model 271 either - the Turkish shoe company seems to have a different numbering scheme with 4 digit model numbers starting with 28. Since the shoemaker claims the shoe is a 1999 model, maybe they had a different numbering scheme back then.

Since the shoes may have been destroyed by Secret Service and/or Iraqi Security, and since al-Zaidi hasn't been available, I don't think the brand will be confirmed for a while.

 

[LowlyPion]

I haven't actually seen any pictures of a Bucati Model 271 either - the Turkish shoe company seems to have a different numbering scheme with 4 digit model numbers starting with 28. Since the shoemaker claims the shoe is a 1999 model, maybe they had a different numbering scheme back then.

Maybe the 3 digit series starting with 27 are the models of shoes designed to exploit any news worthy opportunities?

 

[LowlyPion]

This is the reported picture of the shoe in question. Apparently it is not a Bugati model.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Nb8DOoLyFwk/SU_dpMuiPAI/AAAAAAAALu4/CthopMLxX48/s1600-h/shoe.jpg

Shoe Model 271 Brogues by Ramazan Baydan

 

[jostpuur]

http://kuvat2.iltasanomat.fi/iltasanomat/iDoc/1639000-400_kenkapatsas.jpg



I haven't found anything about this in English with google yet. The picture is from a non-English website. Apparently some kind of a sign of respect to the shoe thrower, anyway?

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Heh, here you go.

A sculpture of an enormous bronze-coloured shoe has been erected in Iraq to honour the journalist who threw his shoes at ex-US President George W Bush.

The sofa-sized artwork was formally unveiled in Tikrit, hometown of late Iraqi ruler Saddam Hussein.

Artist Laith al-Amari insisted it was not a political work, but a "source of pride for all Iraqis"...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/7859444.stm

 

[LowlyPion]

The shoe sculpture has been removed.
Looks like it is now being used as a Size 280-W plaything by the kids at the orphanage.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PyxQKergico

 

[mgb_phys]

What happened to the thrower in the new free and democratic Iraq?
Wonder what will happen to this guy in the UK
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/7865868.stm

 

[LowlyPion]

Throwing shoes is certainly on the up turn.

Maybe a marketing opportunity for the GoodWill to package up bags of mismatches and unrepairables and sell them as protest props?