Shoe thrower gets 3 years - Snowboarding Forum

Zee · 03-12-2009, 08:27 AM

VOA News - Iraq Shoe-Thrower Jailed for 3 Years

Quote:

A Baghdad court has sentenced an Iraqi journalist who threw his shoes at former U.S. President George W. Bush to three years in prison for assaulting a foreign leader.

Muntazer al-Zaidi pleaded not guilty to the assault charges when his trial resumed Thursday. He faced up to 15 years in prison.

A judge had postponed the trial in February to determine if Mr. Bush was on an official visit during the December incident.

Al-Zaidi said last month that the president's talk of "victory," combined with what the journalist called his spiritless smile, proved too much after years of war and destruction following the U.S.-led invasion.

The journalist has been in Iraqi custody since he hurled shoes at Mr. Bush during a joint news conference with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki in December.

Profile: Muntazer al-Zaidi
| World news | guardian.co.uk

Quote:

Muntazer al-Zaidi, the Iraqi reporter sentenced to three years' jail this morning for throwing his shoes at the then US president George Bush during a Baghdad press conference, is a 30-year-old broadcast correspondent for the private al-Baghdadia TV station.

He was raised in Sadr City, a suburb of Baghdad, has a degree in communication from Baghdad University and began working as a reporter for al-Baghdadia in 2005. He is of Shia Muslim faith and single.

Zaidi was kidnapped by unknown assailants in November 2007 and badly beaten before being released. In January last year his apartment was searched and he was arrested by American troops. After being held overnight he was released with an apology.

Zaidi has been lauded throughout the Arab world for his actions, receiving support from his employer, and gaining cult status across the Middle East. Following his arrest, al-Baghdadia TV issued a statement demanding his release.

An online game, Sock and Awe inspired by his actions, has been played by thousands, with a total of 88,997,757 shoes hitting Bush in the face as of this morning.

After the incident, the journalist's brother, Udai al-Zaidi, said: "Thanks be to God, Muntazer's act fills Iraqi hearts with pride. I'm sure many Iraqis want to do what Muntazer did."

Another brother, Dhirgham, said Zaidi had been badly affected by what he had seen during the Iraq war. "He hates the American material occupation as much as he hates the Iranian moral occupation," he said.

Sami Ramadani, a political exile from Saddam Hussein's regime and a senior lecturer at London Metropolitan University, wrote in the Guardian that Zaidi "reported for al-Baghdadia on the poor and downtrodden victims of the US war. He was first on the scene in Sadr City and wherever people suffered violence or severe deprivation.

"He not only followed US Apache helicopters' trails of death and destruction, but he was also among the first to report every 'sectarian' atrocity and the bombing of popular market places. He let the victims talk first."

In February Zaidi told the Baghdad central criminal court that his actions were spontaneous, and he had only thrown his shoes after listening to Bush praise the "achievements" made in Iraq,

"While he was talking I was looking at all his achievements in my mind. More than a million killed, the destruction and humiliation of mosques, violations against Iraqi women, attacking Iraqis every day and every hour.

"A whole people are saddened because of his policy, and he was talking with a smile on his face – and he was joking with the prime minister and saying he was going to have dinner with him after the press conference.

"Believe me, I didn't see anything around me except Bush. I was blind to anything else. I felt the blood of the innocent people bleeding from beneath his feet and he was smiling in that way.

"And then he was going to have a dinner, after he destroyed one million martyrs, after he destroyed the country. So I reacted to this feeling by throwing my shoes. I couldn't stop the reaction inside me. It was spontaneous."

bobepfd · 03-12-2009, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Saddam would have cut his head off right on the spot I would take three years in prison vs dealing with Saddam...

In the US if you pulled a stunt like that you'd easilly be charged and convicted of battery. And against the president? He should be gratefull with 3 years. Whether he agrees with what's going on or not is one thing but there are better and smarter ways to express your disagreement, no matter how funny it was. He's lucky he wasn't shot on the spot by security...

Flick Montana · 03-12-2009, 11:24 AM

Prison time? The guy should get a statue made after him. That moment will forever go down in American history as one of the funniest things we've ever seen.

JFK getting his head blown off. Tragedy.

Reagan getting shot at. Scary.

Someone hurling their size 9 Dockers at Bush while he dodges them like Neo. Classic.

Zee · 03-12-2009, 11:35 AM

He may be treated pretty well if he is in an Iraqi prison. He is a hero over there.

3 years is actually not that bad.

Perpetual3am · 03-12-2009, 02:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mpdsnowman

Saddam would have cut his head off right on the spot

I would take three years in prison vs dealing with Saddam...

Saddam never killed a million Iraqis...not to mention that if the US didn't invade, then he wouldn't have a reason to throw a shoe at Bush.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flick Montana

Prison time? The guy should get a statue made after him. That moment will forever go down in American history as one of the funniest things we've ever seen.

He did:
Saddam's hometown unveils statue dedicated to man who threw shoe at President Bush

03-12-2009, 04:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Perpetual3am

Saddam never killed a million Iraqis

Yeah... about that... a lot of sources actually put the number of Iraqis killed under Saddam's reign at about a million.

The World; How Many People Has Hussein Killed? - The New York Times

Not to say that Bush didn't complete fuck things up, but Saddam was still a giant douche.

Perpetual3am · 03-12-2009, 04:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by izibo

Yeah... about that... a lot of sources actually put the number of Iraqis killed under Saddam's reign at about a million.

The World; How Many People Has Hussein Killed? - The New York Times

Not to say that Bush didn't complete fuck things up, but Saddam was still a giant douche.

While I agree that Saddam was a douche, using any information from the lead up to the Iraq war is suspect at best. And while estimates could put him in the thousands, hard evidence today from many human rights groups shows how many the Bush administration killed. Not to mention that Bush invaded Iraq for the 'good' of the Iraqi people, bringing supposed freedom and democracy that left the country far worse off than under Saddam's rule.

And Mpd, given the knowledge you've displayed in the past with anything related to the Iraq war, pretty much puts you at the little kids table. Just be quiet while the grownups talk.

03-12-2009, 05:52 PM

So Bush is worse than Saddam?

Are you finished?

Your statements brink on the edge of insanity.

Vlaze · 03-12-2009, 06:21 PM

If you know about the Sunni and Shia, and Saddam's stance against the Shia with his torturing, murders and so forth and how about how Al-Qaeda used this to their benefit when the US Forces invaded, you would realize comparing Bush to Saddam is off base at best. Not saying I supported the Iraq invasion, not one bit, just get a little more info before making such a bogus comparison. Especially when it compares the result of actions of one country (US) that did not deliberately oppress the people whereas Saddam did willingly and in a very bias manner.

MunkySpunk · 03-12-2009, 07:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobepfd

In the US if you pulled a stunt like that you'd easilly be charged and convicted of battery. And against the president? He should be gratefull with 3 years. Whether he agrees with what's going on or not is one thing but there are better and smarter ways to express your disagreement, no matter how funny it was. He's lucky he wasn't shot on the spot by security...

Yes, but he wasn't in the U.S. I'm kind of disappointed he wasn't given a ticker tape parade. I would've sent money.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Perpetual3am

Saddam never killed a million Iraqis...not to mention that if the US didn't invade, then he wouldn't have a reason to throw a shoe at Bush.

Iranians and Kurds don't count now?
He'd have plenty of reasons. Everyone does.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Perpetual3am

And while estimates could put him in the thousands, hard evidence today from many human rights groups shows how many the Bush administration killed. Not to mention that Bush invaded Iraq for the 'good' of the Iraqi people, bringing supposed freedom and democracy that left the country far worse off than under Saddam's rule.

Lots of nice hard evidence in mass graves for Saddam. Take a stroll through Dearborn and ask about the change. Then ask some Iraqi Shia. Then ask some Iraqi Sunni. Then ask some Kurds. You'll have a nice split of opinions. Once you've done that survey, then you're qualified to pass on their answer. The only one that's official. Not yours, not mine, not mpd's, not anyone but theirs.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Twix

So Bush is worse than Saddam?

Are you finished?

Your statements brink on the edge of insanity.

He's just pusing U.S. buttons. It's what he does.

EDIT: BTW, Perp, thanks for differentiating. No sarcasm.

03-12-2009, 11:24 AM	#3 (permalink)
Flick Montana Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Beech Grove, Indiana sigh Posts: 4,168	Prison time? The guy should get a statue made after him. That moment will forever go down in American history as one of the funniest things we've ever seen. JFK getting his head blown off. Tragedy. Reagan getting shot at. Scary. Someone hurling their size 9 Dockers at Bush while he dodges them like Neo. Classic. __________________ Zombie Nation Gear: Rome Design 165 / Rome Arsenals Rome Anthem 158

03-12-2009, 06:21 PM	#9 (permalink)
Vlaze Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Varies Posts: 1,173	If you know about the Sunni and Shia, and Saddam's stance against the Shia with his torturing, murders and so forth and how about how Al-Qaeda used this to their benefit when the US Forces invaded, you would realize comparing Bush to Saddam is off base at best. Not saying I supported the Iraq invasion, not one bit, just get a little more info before making such a bogus comparison. Especially when it compares the result of actions of one country (US) that did not deliberately oppress the people whereas Saddam did willingly and in a very bias manner. __________________ Government - If you think the problems they created are bad, just wait until you see their solutions. Screw being normal

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03-12-2009, 11:35 AM	#4 (permalink)
Zee -LIFETIME MEMBER- Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Calgary, AB Posts: 1,423	He may be treated pretty well if he is in an Iraqi prison. He is a hero over there. 3 years is actually not that bad.

03-12-2009, 05:52 PM	#8 (permalink)
Twix Guest Posts: n/a	So Bush is worse than Saddam? Are you finished? Your statements brink on the edge of insanity.