Bush shoe-ing worst Arab insult
[image: Shoe attack against President Bush] Zaidi's attack was launched
with the words "this is a farewell kiss, you dog"
By Martin Asser
BBC News
*Around the Arab world, if you want to escalate a situation, by saying for
example "I'm going to thump you", add the words "with a shoe" and you're
adding serious insult to the threat of possible of injury.*
It's that cultural significance that has added real sting to the assault by
an Iraqi journalist against US President George W Bush at a Baghdad news
conference.
In Arab culture it's considered rude even to display the sole of one's shoe
to a fellow human being.
Certainly, crossing one's legs ankle-on-knee style should never be done in a
public place for fear of offending the person next to you.
The sensitivity is related to the fact shoes are considered ritually unclean
in the Muslim faith.
In addition to ritual ablutions before prayer, Muslims must take off their
shoes to pray, and wearing shoes inside a mosque is forbidden.
Shoes should either be left at the door of the mosque, or carried
(preferably in the left hand with the soles pressed together).
But beyond the Islamic significance, the dirty and degrading implication of
the sole of a shoe crosses all religious boundaries in the Middle East.
*Following in the footsteps*
There has been plenty of droll reaction in the wake of Sunday's shoe attack
to experts who have informed the public that "throwing a shoe at someone's
face is considered an insult in Islam".
*History will record Mr Bush's last trip to Iraq, a country his
government has left such an indelible mark upon, was greeted with a volley
of shoes and a cry of 'dog'*
The blog reaction (to articles not unlike the one you are reading) has been
a sarcastic, "and in all other religions... it is a sign of affection,
friendship, fellowship, and good feeling(!)" to quote chookie on
democraticunderground.com.
But it is worth mentioning that there is quite a rich history when it comes
to shoe-ing incidents involving Iraq and the Bushes.
The first was the floor mosaic at the front door to Baghdad's Rashid Hotel
depicting the first President Bush.
Its location meant visitors to the hotel - frequented by top Baath regime
officials and visiting VIPs - had to step on George Bush Snr's likeness, in
revenge for alleged "war crimes" committed during the 1991 liberation of
Kuwait.
The mosaic was reportedly dug up after the US military took over the hotel,
following their overthrow of Saddam Hussein in 2003.
In that year the Iraqi shoe was much in evidence during popular protests
against the fallen Iraqi ruler, being used to hit the posters and statues
dedicated to him around the country.
*Boot on the other foot*
As anger over Washington's policies in the Middle East has grown in some
Arab circles, it has been posters of George W Bush that have received the
shoe treatment.
[image: Bush poster in Khiam, south Lebanon, adorned with shoes and toy
gun (Photo by Martin Asser, August 2006)] Bush's image has been associated
with shoes across the Arab world
His national security advisor and subsequent secretary of state has been
given the particularly insulting first name Kundara - meaning shoe - instead
of Condoleezza Rice.
Now history will record that Mr Bush's last presidential trip to Iraq, a
country his government has left such an indelible mark upon, was greeted
with a volley of shoes and cries of "dog" (another extreme insult in Arabic)
from Iraqi cameraman Muntadar al-Zaidi.
Fortunately for Mr Bush, who leaves office in just over a month, he was able
to duck out of the way of the two shoes Mr Zaidi threw at him - presumably
the only weapon the assailant was able to smuggle through the tight security
cordon at Prime Minister Nouri Maliki's office.
Many of Mr Bush's supporters will see it as a mean-spirited gesture against
a man whose policies liberated the country from a vicious dictator.
To illustrate the point, in a previous age, the perpetrator would be facing
a summary, and probably agonising, death if he had dared confront Saddam
Hussein's regime in such a way. Instead Mr Bush has been praised for his
dignified response.
But others have hailed Mr Zaidi as a hero, for striking a symbolic blow
against someone they hold responsible for devastating wars in the Muslim
world that have cost hundreds of thousands of lives.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7782422.stm
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Dubai UAE
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