President Bush finally gets the message from Iraq.

[Erna]

[quote author=NORDIC HEALER]
It's become his trademark![/quote]

Not to mention that idiotic cowboy/baboon walk of his.

 

[go2]

Humiliation of US President: Bush claims victory, he gets shoes
Demand for the immediate release of Muntather Al-Zaidi

Global Research, December 15, 2008
Brussells Tribunal

Muntather Al-Zaidi, an Iraqi journalist with Al-Baghdadiya television, epitomized the truth of the defeat of the United States in Iraq and lifted the spirit of resistance within the hearts of all Arabs, matching that of the Iraqi people who continue to resist imperialism and colonialism and who refuse humiliation.

It is Bush who is humiliated, and from it he cannot recover. He had snuck into Iraq, unannounced, to sign an illegal treaty with his puppet stooge aimed at institutionalizing the US occupation. Two flying shoes destroyed the façade upon which he and his cronies claim victory in Iraq.

For the orphans and widows

The greatest expression of contempt in Arab culture is wielding a shoe to an adversary. Bush and his criminal cronies deserve contempt. Bush claims not to know what Al-Zaidi’s “cause” is. Al-Zaidi made it clear: the shoes he threw at Bush were for the orphans and widows of Bush’s imperial war that to date has killed more than 1.2 million Iraqis and displaced six million more.

The shoes were thrown equally in the direction of Bush’s local puppets — proof that no government under occupation can be legitimate or gain legitimacy, that resistance expresses the sovereignty of the Iraqi people, exposing the Bush-Maliki agreement as worthless and devoid of legality. Two flying shoes expressed the paradise that is resistance in comparison to the ignominy of submission. Iraq is unbreakable, its people proven proud and invincible.

Al-Zaidi needs protection

Following five and a half years of relentless destruction and killing, it is clear that Muntather Al-Zaidi, in daring to challenge the imperial United States, took a step into that grey zone between the human right to life and the permanent threat of death wielded by imperialism. Given the Maliki government’s eagerness in summarily executing its political opponents — including their lawyers — and as he is reportedly in the direct custody of Maliki’s own security guards, we have firm reason to believe that Al-Zaidi is in immediate danger of being tortured and/or assassinated.

We remind all that Muntather Al-Zaidi is a protected person under international humanitarian law, which governs the US occupation, and has guaranteed rights under international human rights law.[1] International humanitarian and human rights law outlaws torture and summary execution, incommunicado detention, the ill treatment of detainees, or denial of access to legal counsel. The US occupation is directly responsible for Al-Zaidi’s welfare and must guarantee his security. As a journalist, he must be afforded extra protection.

Appeal for action

Following Al-Zaidi’s action, thousands have taken to the street in his support and countless statements are being written in his defence. We salute his courage, demand to know his exact location, and join millions in demanding his immediate release.

We join all patriotic Arabs and the Iraqi people who today celebrate their dignity, visually announced and reaffirmed in the public humiliation of a disgraced American president.

We call upon all human rights organizations and bodies, including responsible organs of the United Nations, along with journalists’ syndicates and associations, to defend the right to security and life of Muntather Al-Zaidi and work to ensure his immediate release.

The BRussells Tribunal Committee

 

[mamadrama]

_http://www.opednews.com/maxwrite/print_friendly.php?p=Secret-Service-Issues-New-by-Rob-Kall-081216-386.html

December 16, 2008

Secret Service Issues New Policy: Bloggers to Go Shoeless

By Rob Kall

The Secret Service has ruled that bloggers must go shoeless when attending political events.

After the flack raised by Secret Service critics who questioned why President Bush found himself at the mercy of an Iraqi journalist's size tens, the security org took a preemptive position, requiring that all bloggers, journalists and hosts from Air America, PBS, NPR and MSNBC would be required to remove their shoes before entering secure zones when the president, vice president James Dobson, and the CEOs of Blackwater and Haliburton are present

"We have long had serious concerns over stiletto heels and steel tipped union work boots," a spokesman for the secret service explained. "Now, we have an excuse... er, make that serious reason to secure the left's footwear. The policy also requires that no stiletto heels be worn in any press briefings where any member of congress is present. "The godless, women on the left will have to hike their droopy butts without the help of high heels," a press release from an un-named Secret service spokesman stated.

Addidas spokesman did not comment, but a Birkenstock spokesman said the company was offering free "shoe security" bags, with a place for reporters and bloggers to put their name. And a Nike spokesman stated that their slogan, "Just do it," does not necessarily apply to shoe throwing.

Keith Olbermann is reported to have denied his past pursuit of shoe heaving leisure activities. "It was pigskin I was throwing with football buddies, not shoe leather," he offered as a lame excuse.

On Dailykos, Markos Moulitsas, in an attempt to prophylactically avoid acquiescing to FBI demands, has authorized a troll watch for shoe weaponry, targeting and related hosiery diaries.

Arriana Huffington reportedly claimed that she has not worn stiletto heels in at least ten years-- that they were not her style. She did add that huffpo had created a new Big page for shoe news.

Jane Hamsher, of firedoglake, already on the Secret Service watch list, at the request of Scooter Libby, has, according to the internet Wayback Machine, removed a recent posting on how to use nylons and a reporter's notepad to make a shoe slingshot.

Josh Marshall of talkingpointsmemo, has already put in an FOI to determine whether Native American made moccasins will be included in the new rules.

Joe Scarborough, of Morning Joe, was given an exclusion from the rules, but Mika Brezhinski was informed that she, along with her father, would be required to go barefoot.

Thom Hartmann, of Air America Radio described how, when Thomas Jefferson first met with the Chinese, he also, voluntarily removed his shoes, so, Hartmann, would be honored, in the spirit of Jefferson, to do the same with the inscrutable Bush.

Ed Schultz and Stefanie Miller of Jones Radio devoted an hour each to call-ins describing ways to throw shoes and fantasy shoe throw targets. Their seven second delay was invoked a8 times between the two of them. Producers explained most of them had to do with where callers wanted to plant the shoes.

David Swanson, of afterdowningstreet, asked if a decree like this, coming under the authorization of Bush, would be an impeachable offense.

Rachel Maddow, wearing five inch spike heels, behind her desk, and switching to Birkenstock flats, observed, "They've talked me down."

Phil Donahue explained that his shoes, as well as his show, were taken away from him in 2003, when his show, the highest rated on MSNBC, was shut down, because, MSNBC cited, of low viewership. An MSNBC memo later surfaced, stating that Donahue offered a "difficult public face for NBC in a time of war......He seems to delight in presenting guests who are anti-war, anti-Bush and skeptical of the administration's motives."

Jay Leno, soon to be hosting a 10 PM show that will probably have more political content than his late night show, was left with just one shoe-- the right foot-- and given a warning.

David Letterman had to hand over his shoes to John McCain, who sent Sarah Palin to pick them up. The RNC had to explain that they were not hers to keep.

Chris Matthews was notified that the policy would apply to him. He'd have to keep his shoes off, except in Pennsylvania.

Chris Bowers of Openleft analyzed five shoe polls and reported that blue state voters oppose the shoeless policy two to one and observed that Red state republican evangelical women didn't seem to understand the problem. "Isn't it God's way to go barefoot and pregnant?" they asked.

Treasury Secretary started to ask if there any financiers or bankers among those affected, then changed his mind. "Who needs shoes, anyway. We walk on the backs of the morons who bought the buyout," he joked, when he was near a microphone he thought was turned off.


John Aravosis of americablog accused the Secret Service of discrimination, saying, "Some of us care more about shoes than others. I bet Duncan Black(atrios,) Matt Stoller(openleft) and David Sirota(creators syndicate) don't even know what brand of shoes they're wearing."

Techpresident's Micah Sifry, organizer of the new media conference Personal Democracy Forum, observed in about 140 characters, including using a tinyurl.com link, that shoes were so old-school analog, and that twitterers had been throwing digital shoes at Bush for what seemed like an eternity. Anna Marie Cox, Tim O'Reilly tweeted that they agreed, and Guy Kawasaki reported that alltop now has a shoe throwing page.

Katrina Vanden Heuvel, of THE NATION, brought out an issue of the Nation from 1929 showing how a majority of Americans were shoeless back then and she this edict as a way for liberals to show solidarity with the victims of house foreclosures.

Several liberal bloggers questioned why the shoe ruling would apply to Caroline Kennedy, who didn't have enough experience to be considered for the no-shoes rule.

Greg Palast, in a BBC special report, revealed that Ohio had required that inner city voters had been required to remove their shoes before voting in the 2004 election. And Robert Kennedy Jr. co-authored a cartoon with Palast, published in Rolling Stone, telling how voters with black or brown wing tipped shoes were exempted from the shoe-vote disenfranchisement.

Michael Moore is reported to be writing a script for a new movie, a remake of Footloose, titled Sole-less in America.

Code Pink called for people to send in their old shoes to be used in a demonstration at the gates of the White House. So far they have received 200 truckloads worth and they have asked people to stop sending shoes and to show up at the whitehouse to help unload the trucks. Code Pink co-founder Medea Benjamin is now wearing Pink sneakers, but was told to remove them before entering a congressional hearing.

Buzzflash's Mark Karlin announced that the Buzzflash wings of justice award was being given to Muntadar al-Zaidi, the Iraqi journalist-shoe-thrower whose actions set off the new secret service policy.

Alan Colmes, soon to be former co-host with Sean Hannity, denied that he had agreed to put his name on a shoe, which also included Hannity's-- on the bottom of the heel. But he commented, "The shoe does have a nice heft to it."

Politico, NY Times, Washington Post, CBS, ABC and Fox reporters complained, asking, "Why should we have to put up with the stinky liberal feet." A source reported that Harry Reid had commiserated with the mainstream media celebrities.

Dennis Kucinich issued a press release calling for a Department of Shoe Eloquence, and hailed Muntadar al-Zaidi as a hero of democracy.

It is reported that a foundation headed by Imelda Marcos has contacted the homeland security department to explore becoming the recipient of lost and forgotten shoes. Her foundation already has such an arrangement with the TSA, for airport screening areas.

Barack Obama's spokesman said the president-elect would like to reverse the ruling against progressives, even before he took office, but his transition team legal advisers explained that the way Bush had instituted the rule, it could take up to two years to reverse it and progressives should just wait and be patient.

 

[Meager1]

Well, what I`m more curious about is WHY throwing shoes is considered such an insult?

I mean it`s not a nice thing to do for sure, you could hurt somebody, but why is it seen as an (ultimate insult ) in the Arab world?
Could it be an old religious statement of some sort?

I can`t help but think of the "old shoe god", was it Lugh? He would have become Christianised of course and be known under a new name, like the rest of them, but is there some lingering ancient memory of the "shoe god" that still irritates Arab people? Just curious about that aspect of it, more than anything else.

 

[RedFox]

Well, what I`m more curious about is WHY throwing shoes is considered such an insult?

From wiki _http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoe_tossing

In the Arab world: a gesture of contempt

Further information: Muntadhar al Zaidi

In the Arab world, shoe flinging is a gesture of extreme disrespect. [1] A notable occurrence of this gesture happened in Baghdad, Iraq in 2003. When U.S. forces pulled down a giant statue of Saddam Hussein during the 2003 invasion of Iraq, many Iraqi detractors of Hussein threw their shoes at the fallen statue. Another example of this took place on December 14, 2008. U.S. President George W. Bush was speaking at a press conference in Iraq when reporter Muntadhar al Zaidi stood up and shouted "This is a farewell kiss, you dog!" and then proceeded to hurl both of his shoes at the president, one after the other.[2]

This may be an ancient gesture from the Middle East; Psalms 60:8, speaking of some of the traditional enemies of Judah, says that "Moab is my washpot; over Edom will I cast out my shoe...." (KJV)

The shoe represents the lowest part of the body (the foot) and displaying or throwing a shoe at someone or something in Arab cultures denotes that the person or thing is "beneath them." Showing the bottom of one's feet or shoes (for example, putting one's feet up on a table or desk) in Arab cultures is considered an extreme insult.[citation needed] Examples include Iraqi citizens smacking torn-down posters of Saddam Hussein with their shoes, and the depiction of President of the United States George H. W. Bush on a tile mosaic of the floor of the Al-Rashid Hotel's lobby, forcing all visitors entering the hotel to walk on Bush's face to enter the hotel.

 

[BassMann22]

It is possible that it was staged.

I believe you hit the nail on the head!

Bm22

 

[bedower]

It is possible that it was staged.

I believe you hit the nail on the head!

You may well be right, BassMan. I wonder if this was staged as well?

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.

You can read the full SOTT article here.

If you are interested, that is.

 

[Erna]

Shoe Throwing Event At Iranian School

Aired on IRINN TV (Iran) -
December 22, 2008 - 00:01:06 : George Bush Dummy Serves as Target at Shoe-Throwing Event in an Iranian School.

_http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=1a3_1230283967

While I share their sentiment, it's just wrong to me to encourage such hateful behaviour in children.

 

[bedower]

While I share their sentiment, it's just wrong to me to encourage such hateful behaviour in children.

Hi Erna,

I totally agree that it's wrong to encourage hateful behaviour, but...

...this episode needs to be taken in context. Iran has been demonised by a Zionist-driven west for a few years now. Israel has made no secret of the fact that it wants to 'nuke Iran', with USA back-up. We have read the various articles on SOTT about the collective and individual atrocities and war crimes perpetrated against Muslims in general and oil-rich Islamic countries in particular; the wanton and premeditated destruction of Iraq to gain control of Iraqi oil; the carpet bombing of Afghanistan to ensure a western/Israeli controlled pipeline is laid so the stolen Iraqi oil can be piped to Israel; the genocide of the Gazans so Israel can lay claim to the rich oil fields off the Gaza coast; the false flag operations in Pakistan and India to get these two countries (never the best of friends at the best of times!) at each others throats to suit Israeli interests in the region; Guantanamo Bay and all the secret prison ships and torure chambers which are incarcerating and torturing kidnapped Muslims on little or no evidence...the list is a long one, and covers eight years. It makes grisly reading.

And then, one day, a brave and courageous Iraqi man makes one small gesture of defiance against the hated West - he throws his shoes at the man he feels is directly responsible for all this bloodshed and misery brought down upon Muslims over these eight years. And the impossible happens - the man becomes a hero throughout the whole of the Near and Middle East (except in Israel, naturally). Nowhere (except in the Quisling Iraqi goverment) will you hear anything but praise of him. Suddenly, he is famous throughout the world. Even the Muslims in the Far East cheer him on. By that one small gesture, he has restored the dignity of the Arab nations. His action has been copied and re-enacted. But he paid a price for his tiny retaliation against the might of the western wehrmacht. His name is Muntaza al-Zaidi.

This is what I mean by context.

 

[Erna]

No, I wholeheartedly agree with you about how great the symbolism of the shoe throwing was for the Arab world, I just think children should be shielded from the malice as much as possible and not having to anticipate "canons, tanks and machine guns", although that's probably wishful thinking...

I saw these 2 Webster Tarpley videos on Youtube with regard to a possible strike on Iran:

The men behind Barack Obama part 1 & 2:

_http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MouUJNG8f2k

_http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-KJCMWcoms&feature=related

 

[bedower]

Hi Erna,

Some time ago, when Israel was attacking Lebanon, a website published photographs of Israeli children signing the bombs that were due to be dropped on Lebanon. They wrote, as far as I can remember; "To Lebanon with love from Israel". These children were watched by smiling adults - adults wearing hats and side curls. The photos have since disappeared from the Net; even from my Favourites History folder.

Some little time later, more photographs were published by the same site - this time of dead Lebanese children. One of them looked to be the same age as my grandson. The message underneath read; 'Thank you Israel - your gifts have been received'.

The site in question is _http://www.uruknet.info/

If you go there today, you will see more photographs of dead children; Palestinian children, this time.

Like you, I wish that our children and grandchildren could be kept safe from the horror of war. Wishful thinking, indeed! But the pathocrats in charge don't care about killing children. In fact, they don't care about who they kill - it's all the same to them.

The children have been dragged into the insanity initiated by Zionist Israel, as have we all.

 

[Pierre]

Hi Erna,

Some time ago, when Israel was attacking Lebanon, a website published photographs of Israeli children signing the bombs that were due to be dropped on Lebanon. They wrote, as far as I can remember; "To Lebanon with love from Israel". These children were watched by smiling adults - adults wearing hats and side curls. The photos have since disappeared from the Net; even from my Favourites History folder.

Here is a picture of this event (though I remember some broad angle pictures where you could indeed see adults surrounding the girls)

 

[Erna]

I remember those photographs well of the Israeli children. In comparison to the Israeli kids though, who have nothing to fear, the Iranian children have much to fear, and their parents should know better. But you get my point ;) With regard to the Israeli kids though...something about "get them while they're young", right?

 

[bedower]

In comparison to the Israeli kids though, who have nothing to fear, the Iranian children have much to fear, and their parents should know better.

Hi Erna,

I'm sorry, I don't understand what you mean by this. Are you saying that only these Iranian parents should know better? Please explain why you think so.

Although, fwiw, the way things are going at the moment, I think all the people of the ME, Arab and Israeli, adults and children, have much to fear.

 

[Erna]

Hi Bedower, I'm saying that the kids should be spared fear, politics and war. The fear being key. Their parents should shield them from it. A child that age shouldn’t have to consider a possible strike. You're missing the crux of my point. I'm not making a distinction between the Iranian and Israeli parents, I was speaking in general. With Iraq and Afghanistan as real time examples though, the Iranian kids are likely experiencing ample fear. I doubt the Israeli kids are experiencing any fear. I could be wrong. A Palestinian kid can't be spared the horror unfortunately, but with Iran not yet directly engaged in war, their parents still have the luxury of affording them a little innocence and normalcy.

I hope I expressed myself clearer :)