Iraqi Journalist Would Throw Shoes at Obama

Exiled Iraqi journalist Muntadar al-Zeidi, who leapt into the international spotlight last year when he threw a shoe at outgoing President Bush during his farewell visit to Baghdad, has had an interesting year.

Captured, beaten and held incommunicado by the Iraqi government, Zeidi spent about a month in the hospital, a couple of months in detention awaiting trial, and was sentenced to three years in prison. Six months later he was released and fled the country.

But now, still less than a year after finding his sudden fame, Zeidi’s whole life is about shoes. Today, in a speech in Paris, Zeidi was speculating about how much he would like to throw a shoe at current President Barack Obama, when someone threw a shoe at him.

This time, Zeidi faced a pro-US shoe, as an Iraqi who defended the American occupation and accused Muntadar of being in league with Saddam Hussein hurled a shoe at him. The as-yet-unnamed Iraqi was chased from the room by Zeidi’s brother, who reportedly threw another shoe at him.