George Bush and Iraq: 'Shoe'denfreude?

Muntazer al-Zeidi, "hero of the Iraqi People" by Carlos Latuff

Will this become one of those moments in history? In years to come will you recount to your grand children where you were when an Iraqi journalist, Montather Al-Zeidi, threw his shoes at the president of the United States? For me I was at home just getting my kids ready to sleep when my father called me insisting that I simply had to switch on the television immediately.

Iraqi bloggers reacted in much the same way with a number who wrote their first new post in months just to make their comment. Abbas Hawazin went as far to predict that shoe throwing will now be part of mainstream culture and has gone to look for a good-sized shoe to carry in his pocket, "in case I need to make any public expression of anger should the case arise."

Word from the Streets

Last of Iraqis broke his once-a-week frequency to share his opinion on the incident. "In the Iraqi traditions or may I say Arabic traditions in general; it's the maximum insult a man can do…it's the maximum humiliation no word can accomplish", he writes. And he gives his view of the Iraqi Street:

Today I went to work as usual and all the people I saw were very very happy, it was like a national celebration…A female patient came to me for a filling and as we were waiting for the Anesthesia to take effect she said "do you know doc. That yesterday was an Eid to me; I haven't celebrated Eid for the past 3 years because the Americans "accidentally" killed my husband and son and Bush is the reason why they are here so yesterday some of my revenge has been taken" …all the staff said the same thing "A statue should be built for Muntathar" in fact many of them have used the photo of Muntathar as a background for their mobiles but the really beautiful thing that made me even happier was that no one referred to his sect or anything…they were all proud of him...

So what will happen now? Will he be considered a terrorist? Will throwing a president with a shoe be a terrorist act?
I think there will be two scenarios of what will happen…either he will continue his life in jail for countless charges and die there or he will be released within few weeks and after some time he will be dead and of course they will say for natural causes or he might die in an accident.

Hammorabi goes some way to explain the anger behind the man who preferred a shoe to a well-worded question:

This journalist have seen the US troops killing women and children since 1991, children died from the use of Depleted Uranium ... because the USA has prevented importing such treatment under the 12 years sanction since 1991 Gulf war. He has seen the USA many times since 1991, destroying the Iraqi infrastructures, hospitals, mosques, houses, schools, universities, historical sites, factories, and so on. After the invasion in 2003 he has seen the American and their allies’ troops humiliating, assaulting and torturing the Iraq civilians in Abo-Ghreeb prison and in Basrah city by British troops. It is in front of his eyes and every Iraqi eyes the US soldiers and the American security companies such as Black Water killing the Iraqis, humiliating them, and behaving with arrogance and superiority ... Iraq became the country of death, killing, lack of services, diseases such as cholera, corruption especially in oil, and division. Many and many other consequences since 1991 US wars in Iraq. All these in mind no wonder why the Iraqi journalist hit GWB with his shoes. GWB was wrong to say this is so the journalist wants to bring attention. It is not but it is the response after all these years of misery by the USA in Iraq.

We feel that the journalist could have asked GWB some questions however that might pass unnoticed and he chose the way that he likes to express his anger against the US wars in this country.

Khalid Jarrar broke a six-month silence to list reactions on his Facebook page. He writes:

Believe it or not, a lot of people think that this guy, Montathar, regardless of the beating he probably is still having, deserves a statue in the middle of Baghdad. I am willing to fund it myself :D

One person who does not think so is Nibras Kazimi who stood alone among Iraqi bloggers to defend George Bush:

Personally, I got angry. Very angry.

I will make a public promise: should I ever run into a certain reporter called Muntather al-Zaidi, presently of Al-Baghdadia TV, I will seriously consider beating the crap out of him... See, I will forever remain indebted to President George W. Bush. He is my hero. He liberated Iraq, and that's how I will always see it. Had there been no President Bush, then Saddam would still be Saddam.

The usual suspects are ecstatic over what happened, especially the US-based media and Iraq-watchers. I would like to beat them all up too, but I think that would be a tad bit excessive. The best revenge is to make them watch Iraq's democracy strengthen and prosper.

Baghdad Treasure is torn between professional pride and being an Iraqi:

As a journalist myself, I found what the reporter did was extremely wrong. Journalists have their voices and pens (and now the internet) to express whatever they want to protest against. However, I was kind of relieved. As an Iraqi citizen, I believe Bush deserved this ending that the entire world will remember and cherish. I mean what wrong the man had done was huge. His failure to prepare for an invasion aftermath caused Iraqis and Americans hundreds of thousands of souls, not to mention the destruction of an entire country, the millions who have migrated and the creation of terrorism in Iraq. Well, you know the rest. There is no need to go into details here...

Anyways, now Bush has one last thing to have the world remember him with. If I were him… Nah, I’ll keep this to myself.

Free Montather

Several bloggers are concerned for the journalist and call for his release. Raed Jarrar has started an online petition. He writes:

Some of my contacts in Baghdad assured me that the Iraqi Journalist who threw the shoes at bush today was heavily beaten (you can actually hear him scream in pain in this released video)

After beating him, the Iraqi authorities arrested Mr. Al-Zeidi.

Layla Anwar adds:

We were also filled with grief and recited the Fateeha, because we knew that Muntather Al-Zaidi signed his own death warrant. This guy is finished.

Mom added that he will be tortured first, most probably with shoes before his execution...

I therefore urge all people of conscience, in particular Journalists without Borders, any syndicate or union of journalists anywhere in the world, to mobilize themselves for the release of Muntather before he gets executed.

And Finally

Ladybird reports on the inevitable computer games that will be spun from the shoe throwing incident. She links to an "Educational" one from a Norwegian newspaper where the player can calculate the right angle and force.

Iraq: What is going on?

(Cross Posted to Global Voices Online)

Its been a while since my last post and I have had time to rest, take stock and come to some picture of what is happening. And what is happening? is the question on everybody's mind. The problem with blogs, like most of the news media, is that they all present small strips of information but without the thread linking them together. This is why blog aggregators provide such a vital function. We pull strings across diverse opinions. So this post is about what is going on. But its not all heavy politics - if you read to the end find out what Iraqi's who know really think of India.

If you read no other blog post this week read this.

My heartfelt condolences go out to Sunshine and her family who lost two relatives to violence in Iraqi this week. The first was 25 years old and was murdered while driving his car. The other, a 13 year old girl who died when a lorry exploded in front of her house, leaving her parents in a critical condition.

With all the news of killing and violence in Iraq, Sunshine responds against the view that Iraqis are killing each other. She writes:

Of course that is not true , Sunnites and Shiites have been living together for ages , they marry each other , I have relatives married Shiites women\men, if that was true , that means my parents’ uncle should kill his wife ,my mom’s uncle should kill his wife , some of my parents’ cousins should kill their wives\husbands !!!!!!!! and I should kill my two best friends , that is ridiculous… I’ve talked about that in many posts . and said that in many interviews , and I will keep saying that till the people in the world start to realize , that Iraqis (Sunnites and Shiites) live in Iraq for more than 1400 years, they are MUSLIMS and IRAQIS.

We go shopping together , if we need any help , we ask our neighbors to help us , because we are all Iraqis , no matter what are our religion , nor creeds , I didn’t know what are Shiites and Sunnites until I was 12 years old, and lately it appears that there are more creeds , Shafee and hanafy !!!!!! and other creeds , I don’t know which one I belong to , and I don’t even want to know , those names are not important , we all believe in the same god , and say the same prayers , no matter how do we stand and those formals if we put our hand together when we pray or not !!!!!!, what’s important is what is there inside our hearts.

So , NO we don’t kill each other , the terrorists who kill Shiites are the same who kill Sunnites , it is impossible that Good Iraqis kill each other , no matter what is their religions nor creeds …

What is happening..

The irony is not lost on me. The U.S. President promises a new plan to stabilise Iraq, yet Baghdad sees the worst violence in years. And the worst of this is currently being carried out by Sunni militants yet America in turn repeatedly reprimands Iran for trying to destabilise Iraq. At a glance the situation seems confusing. To add to this some bloggers have changed their minds on opposing US troops presence in Iraq. One such example is No Pain No Gain:

If US troops sought to withdraw from Iraq 2 years ago, I would have certainly agreed to it but demanding the withdrawal as of now is not a good idea. ... Two years ago the violence occurred mainly between terrorists,insurgents against the average Iraqi civilian for the sake of killing 1 or 2 American soldiers. [Now] these attacks are morever caused by Iraqi militias against other Iraqis to gain certain parts of region they wish to make Sunni or Shia. ... This is certainly not the best time for foreign troops to withdraw because it leaves Iraq with a very weak biased government along with its national forces.

While one blogger claims credit for Bush's new plan. Alaa writes: "Well, I am tempted to say it. It may sound vain and distasteful. But, really, this new strategy, haven’t I suggested something of the sort three years ago? It would have been much easier then, but as they say, better late than never."

Mohammed gives his overview of a city between Malikis plan and Bush's strategy

From the above and from more that we heard we could see that there are different opinions even among members of a single bloc but I also see that a majority supports the new strategy while opposition is coming from extremists who realize that they will be the next target for the government and allied forces.

A new blog, Al-Ghad tries to make sense of the American policy and in a well studied analysis comes up with an old strategy, Blood For Oil:

Bush was desperate, and could face censure if the Iraqi crisis aggravated. Winning the battle for Iraq’s oil, could offer him a way out. For this to succeed, however, he must find a way to divert attention from the delicate secret oil negotiations, as once this is exposed to Iraqi and world opinion, it could very well end up like the previous attempt in 2003. So it is not beyond Bush and his consultants to use a spectacular execution online of a former head of Iraq, as the most convenient exit strategy.

It concludes:

The Iraqi people should not leave their fate to an illegitimate Parliament acting under the control of the foreign occupation forces. They should take their destiny in their own hands. They should unite, and resist the tricks of the occupation in fomenting sectarian strive, which is foreign to our country.

So, what about the new oil policy? Baghdad Connect fills us in..

the US-drafted Production-Sharing Agreements (PSAs) for the Oil sector selectively favor Shell, BP and Exxonmobil who are set to take up to 75% of the total profits until they had covered their initial drilling costs. Bear in mind Iraqi’s wells are already dug-in holes and the drilling costs should only include debottlenecking – In the past Iraq had carried out post-wars debottlenecking for the Oil up & down-stream sectors at 25% costs of the total profits!!

Hala_S agrees that the policy is about oil but comes to a different conclusion:

I want this horrifying hybrid of a government to succeed and the 21,000 extra troops to take control. All I dream of which is no different to the millions of Iraqis is damage control force.

Let them take this cursed oil and drink it to the last drop, let them leave the house unfurnished it doesn’t matter anymore.

What matter most is our blood and it is much thicker than oil.

All that is left for me, is to ask what you, the reader, thinks. Is Bush's new strategy all about securing Iraq, is it the last throes of a dying presidency or is it all about oil?

And finally...

What do Iraqis really think about India? Their opinion may come as a bit of a surprise for some of the sub-continent's authors here at Global Voices. Neurotic Wife visits India on a well-earned holiday with 'Hubby'. Among some wonderful descriptions of Mumbai traffic and one of the less hygienic toilets, she has some interesting insight:

India, that country with its rich history and culture showed me one thing, and one thing only, with all the shocking poverty that I saw in my own eyes, India with its many different sects and religions, India is indeed the best example of democracy. ... you wander, how a nation so large, with almost everyone living in dire conditions are living in such harmony. Why? How come? How come they dont kill each other, how come they dont kidnap and ask for ransoms? How come? Its a simple question, with an even simpler answer. Indians all live in harmony because they themselves as people believe in Peace. Indians, I found out are such loving and friendly people

and, at Delhi airport, she bumps into an Iraqi sports team touring India:

The coach immediately looked at me and said, you left the whole world, the whole wide world, and you didnt find a better place to go to but India????And dont forget this is a man, who lives in baghdad, a man who gets showered with bombs and mortars on a daily basis. A man, who lives by the sounds of suicide attacks. I asked, ok, between India, and baghdad, where would you choose. He laughed and said, even if they give me millions, I will never come and live here.

The Mother of all Smoke Screens

I remember when Princess Diana died an enthusiastic Labour party worker sent round an email suggesting that it would be a good time to push through some unpopular policies. The worker was immediately sacked not just for extreme tactlessness but also exposing an ages old trick in politics. Use an extreme diversion to push through an unpopular policy. Or to quote Riverbend, "when all else fails execute the dictator".

Bush is in a fix and needs time badly. The Iraq Study Group report is hanging over his head like the Sword of Damocles. And after the split of the Sadrists from the Iraqi government, its unity is hanging by thread. The execution of Saddam Hussain will buy time. It placates the American public on one side and the Sadrists on the other. Saddam's execution is a big smoke screen to hide an ugly policy. As proposed by the American Enterprise Institute, a huge military surge as a last gamble to secure Iraq. By its own admission, this policy will cost billions and kill hundreds. But its the last desperate throw of a dying empire and after this, the only way is down.

Saddam had his Mother of All Battles but nothing will be left of the Mother of All Smoke Screens after the wind blows it away. The emperor has no clothes and it's showing.