Shoe-Hurling Journalist Hailed As Hero

Muntadhar al-Zeidi, the journalist who threw a shoe at President Bush, is being praised as a hero in the Arab world.  Thousands of Iraqis flooded the streets of Baghdad to demand his release from jail, where he is being interrogated about whether he was paid to hurl his shoes at Bush.

“This is a farewell kiss, you dog,” al-Zeidi yelled in Arabic as he threw his shoes. “This is from the widows, the orphans and those who were killed in Iraq.”

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Al-Zeidi’s tirade was echoed by Arabs across the Middle East who are fed up with U.S. policy in the region and still angry over Bush’s decision to invade Iraq in 2003 to topple Saddam Hussein.

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In Najaf, a Shiite holy city, some protesters threw their shoes at an American patrol as it passed by. Witnesses said the American troops did not respond and continued on their patrol.

Al-Zeidi, who is in his late 20s, was kidnapped by Shiite militias on Nov. 16, 2007, and released three days later. His station said no ransom was paid and refused to discuss the case.

Meanwhile, at least 17 people were killed Monday.  A truck bomb killed at least nine police officers and wounded 13, including two civilians, shortly after a female suicide bomber blew herself up at the home of a Sunni volunter militia member.  And gunmen killed seven people from a single family after storming their Northern Iraq home.

By: Alan

Alan Colmes is the publisher of Liberaland.