During a press conference in Baghdad on Sunday, an angry journalist from the room threw 2 shoes at President Bush in defiance of his actions in the region. Both shoes flew past Bush’s head and the journalist was immediately taken out of the room. Bush was unhurt by the incident and even joked that the shoe was a size 10.
In Iraqi culture, it is said that throwing a shoe is the utmost sign of disrespect.
Bush’s trip was to celebrate the conclusion of the security pact, called the Strategic Framework Agreement and the Status of Forces Agreement, the White House said.
The pact will replace a U.N. mandate for the U.S. presence in Iraq that expires at the end of this year. The agreement, reached after months of negotiations, sets June 30, 2009, as the deadline for U.S. combat troops to withdraw from all Iraqi cities and towns. The date for all U.S. troops to leave Iraq is December 31, 2011.
Below is the raw video footage from CBS News. It shows Bush’s response to questions about the shoe and what it means to him.
haha i saw this while i was on the treadmill a few minutes ago, you gotta give it to him. he has pretty good reflexes. haha
I just saw this on the news. Sure Bush sucks as president but kudos for his cat-like reflexes.
lol, bushs presidency has got to be better than the prime minister’s feeble attempt to stop the second shoe.