Iraqi journalist looking at two years for throwing shoes at Bush

I know it should not be complicated. But they sure are making it complicated and political.

Thanks for the BR!

They actually have a law in Iraq against "affending foreign leaders". he broke that law and he will face the punishment for it. Imagine what would have happened if someone would have thrown their shoes at the president of Iran when he was at that college speaking here in the US last year. they would have been in major trouble too. Assault, causing an international incident, etc....

I agree. This guy stepped over the line and should face the punishment for it.

*laughs* But I've been wrong before. I agree with the Iraqi's -- simple this is not.

I know this is not simple to them. I wonder. Do you know if anyone has tried any like this with a past president? Maybe not a shoe but thrown something at a president here in the US. If so I would be interested to know how much trouble they got into. I know this happened in Iraq so they get to deal with it, but I do not think this should be just a slap on the wrist thing. It sets a bad example for the rest, people will think it is ok to throw things at the president or any foreign leader. So I imagine they will not go lightly on him.

Well Bin Ludan is in Pakistan and Pakistan will not let us go in to get him. Nor will they go after him. So there is the problem with catching Bin luden. As for why we have not left Iraq.....well the Iraqi government has asked us to stay this long. With Iran sending people and weapoins over the border and the civil war over control going on the government of Iraq requested we stay. Now I am sure the people of Iraq want us gone. But Bush said we would leave when Iraq was able to take care of themselves and when htey asked us to leave. The Iraq government is just now asking us to look at withdrawing in the next couple of years. But they also said they would like to be able to chance that date if things start getting bad again. Bush said he got bad intelligence about WMD. He admitted it. Personally I think we should have left them with Suddam. The do not see to appreciate their liberation and also do not know what to do with it. I do not believe Bush staged this whole thing. But I do think he made a mistake by going into Iraq.

1) You mean, the leaders the US put in place in Iraq are asking the US to stay so long... imagine that. ;) 2)Oh no. Is that the latest story - that Usama is in Pakistan. My question is, what does Pakistan have that the US wants to take? ;) Thank goodness for Obama - he'll keep a steady head and hand in the future. Maybe the US can live at peace with the rest of the world now. All hail the new improved US President!! :) Btw, there was a poll taken in Canada during the US elections and over 90% of Canadians supported Obama over McCain. Most of us spent the last 8 years hiding under our beds at night, for fear GB would see something in Canada worth invading for. Of course, since our leaders gave him everything he ever wanted, as well as half our big companies are now owned by American's - it wouldn't really be worth the effort. Btw, if America was ever thinking of making Canada the 53 State, Obama has the best chance in history to do so. (Like a 2% chance instead of none.) ;)

Well Iraq does not have the Bill of Rights. And Bush was in Iraq when he got the shoes thrown at him. And the bill of rights does not allow you to throw things at the president. If someone here did it htey would in big trouble and going to jail also. YOu do not have the right to try to phyically harm anyone, especially the president of the country.

LOL, bantilesroger. I did catch the irony in your statement. ;)

Yep here he would go on all talk shows, get a book deal and do a tour making millions. Of course after getting out of jail. If someone here threw a shoe at Bush they would get into major trouble. But it looks like in Iraq he is fast becoming a celebrity too. But that does not mean he will get off easy. That being said I do not think he should do 7 years. It was only two shoes and no physical harm was done. I hear he is only being charged with "offending a foreign leader". I am glad we do not have a law like that one here in America. HEck you can offend a foriegn leader by saying something to them they do not like or having demonstrations while they are visiting, much less throwing your shoes at him. I did not realize Iraq had that law until this happened.

I think that Bush is doing the right thing, I just hope that the Iraqis handle this like we would here. This could be a great example to the area of how a real democracy works, and could help with the spread of democracy. We all know that they want to throw the book at this guy, this case may determine the future of Iraq.

Well sense it happened in Iraq and the man is an Iraqi citizen the Iraq courts are handling this not the US. So it is all up to Iraq on how they want to handle it. Bush said he is staying out of it.

well for causing a international incident and public embarressment I imagine they would get into more trouble than just "simple assault".

He broke the law when he did it. It is not a matter of right or wrong. It is a matter of legal vs illegal. Now if he would have just been yelling at him I would have said the guy had a right to say what he wanted. But you can not just throw things at someone because you are mad at them and not exspect to get into trouble for it.

Here we have had a few families of victims attack criminals in court. You know what happens.....they get into legal trouble and go to jail. They broke the law. They attacked someone. The same with this guy. He did the crime so he will do the time. You ever heard of the saying two wrongs do not make a right.

I doubt he didn't know he'll get in legal punishment for it. And let me ask you just one thing, if the murderer of your family, friends, relatives, or even the closest it could be; your own children and your wife/etc, and even the destroyer of ur whole country was sitting right in front of you, without being punished for anything he've done, would you even think twice about trying to hurt him? Would you compose yourself saying 'this is illegal and I won't do it'?? If I were him, I would've brought him hell on earth, getting a mere globalized insult is a really petty punishment for a serial killer like that ******

I agree. I do not blame him for being upset, but I do blame him for reacting the way he did. It is not ok to throw things at anyone.

Okay nevermind, he was Iraqi, but with an Egyptian news network. Anyway. I think that he deserves some jail time for this. He threw a solid object at someone, who just happened to be a foreign leader. I think that if I were to throw a shoe at... I don't know, the PM of England, I would expect some jailtime. That was a physically threatening gesture. He could have gotten equally as much attention if the would have done something that was non-violent, but he chose the wrong way to express his anger. I don't tolerate acts of violence, whether it be a shoe, a bomb, or a missile.

But he committed a crime. he is not above the law. he should pay for his crime. Wether we like the president or not.

I have to agree in essence will lil here, although the devil on my shoulder was laughing with glee. I'd say "couldn't have happened to a better person" but that would be wrong. ;) I can secretly think it though. You know - what you think is AWESOME, and what you know is absolutely wrong, can sometimes be the same thing. :)

I agree. He threw two shoes at someone. Here in this country it is considered assualt. The problem is in Iraq there is a law against "offending foreign leaders". And he broke that one. So he will have to pay the price for his actions.