President Bush Goes on Farewell Tour, Has to Dodge Flying Shoes

President Bush, going on what amounted to a farewell visit to war-torn Iraq, was verbally abused by an Iraqi reporter who shouted in Arabic, "this is a goodbye kiss from the Iraqi people, dog" before throwing a pair of shoes at the outgoing President. Bush, who wished to indicate the improved security in Iraq, made certain to land in the country during daylight hours and to venture beyond Baghdad’s heavily guarded international Green Zone. The "attack" by the Iraqi journalist, however, indicated an ongoing disenchantment with the American presence in that country as well as the ongoing turmoil.

Apparently, throwing shoes at someone is considered quite an insult in the Middle East. In this instance, one of the hurled shoes flew over the president’s head, while the other forced him to duck to avoid being hit. In a show of unity, Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki actually tried to block the second shoe with his arm. Said Bush of the incident, "It’s like going to a political rally and have people yell at you. It’s a way for people to draw attention. I don’t know what they guy’s cause was. I didn’t feel the least bit threatened by it."

Bush, when asked by reporters if his trip indicated a victory in the war, noted, "No, I consider it an important step on the road toward and Iraq that can sustain itself, govern itself and defend itself. There’s still more work to be done. The war is not over." Discussing the decision to send 30,000 additional troops to Iraq last year, the president said, "The surge is one of the greatest successes in the history of the U.S. military."