Video: Iraqi journalist throws shoes at President Bush

When I heard about this video, I thought that it was an exaggeration: Maybe he threw the shoes at Pres. Bush's feet as some kind of statement, or merely threw them near the President. No - it's much more dramatic than I thought. This isn't necessarily the sort of statement that's going to help anything, but at least it's interesting.

The commentator points out that the gesture of the "shoe" is unique to Arab culture, as the sole of a shoe is considered an insult. I'm sure this gesture was not lost on our culture-savvy Commander in Chief mid-duck. My personal feeling is that a flying shoe is a flying shoe, and that the subtleties of culture fall by the wayside while you're avoiding one. "In Tennessee, hitting a man with a shovel is considered a grave insult!"

UPDATE: The guy isn't exactly enthusiastic about the U.S., which from a certain perspective is perfectly understandable. They seem unable to decide between charging him with insulting a state head and attempted murder. Wouldn't something, y'know, in between be a little more appropriate?