Journalist Throws Two Shoes at US President Bush

During a joint press conference with his Iraqi counterpart Nuri al-Maliki, US President George W. Bush became the target of two shoes thrown at him by journalist Muntazer al-Zaidi.

(AP photo)

While President Bush was starting to address the journalists in the room, al-Zaidi, a reporter with the Al-Baghdadia channel, which reports from El Cairo, hurled one then another (above) shoe at President Bush while shouting, "This is a gift from the Iraqis; here's your farewell kiss, you dog."

President Bush was able to dodge the first one (below) and the second one was off target, as President al-Maliki tried to protect his colleague with his right hand.

(AP photo)

Security guards immediately wrestled al-Zaidi to the floor and took him out of the room.

Video of the incident can be watched here.

Calling someone a "dog" is one of the greatest insults an Arab can utter. And in the Arab culture, throwing your shoes at someone constitutes a very degrading act, as AFP explains here:

"Soles of shoes are considered the ultimate insult in Arab culture. After Saddam Hussein's statue was toppled in Baghdad in April 2003, many onlookers beat the statue's face with their.
(...)
Bush laughed off the incident, saying: "It doesn't bother me. If you want the facts, it was a size 10 shoe that he threw".

He also said, "I don't know what the guy's cause is... I didn't feel the least bit threatened by it."

The press conference took place during Bush's surprise visit to the country, his fourth since he ordered the invasion of Iraq in 2003.