I'm no fan of George W. Bush. Hell, I believe there are probably grounds for his impeachment and prison. But when he's abroad he's one thing and one thing only: my president and the physical symbol of my country. So, while everybody's having a hoot over W getting attacked with thrown shoes by an Iraqi "journalist" (yeah, how objective is this dude?), I'm not down with that level of disrespect. I believe in the old 'fight at home, united front outside' approach. So, if it happens here, it's a different story, but still...
And where the fuck was the Secret Service? Thinking of china patterns they'll pick when they come back? WTF?! Can you imagine the shitstorm if W had gotten shot or, God forbid, killed?! Yeah, the dude's leaving in a month, but come on, guys. (Can Obama--who will likely be more of an assassination target than any modern president--expect this level of lax protection, as well?)
But the most interesting thing to me, in all of this, is the mentality behind the Shiite shoe lobber's actions.
AP:
"He hates the American physical occupation as much as he hates the Iranian moral occupation," his brother Dhirgham said, alluding to the influence of pro-Iranian Shiite clerics in political and social life. "As for Iran, he considers the regime to be the other side of the American coin."
Sad, indeed. How many in Iraq feel that same way?
