From the Archives: What Shoes Mean in Iraq

President Bush was bemused when asked about the gift of footwear offered him at his news conference yesterday. It was "one of the weirdest" moments of his eight years in office.

If George wants to take it beyond "weird", he might consider the significance of shoes in Iraqi society. A scene from April 2003:

[youtube]http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=rcya5pNBMHs[/youtube]

Iraq: I'm Sure the Shoes Were Filled with Flowers

A quick word on the "Iraq Journalist Throws Shoes at President Bush" incident:

When Douglas Feith, the Assistant Secretary of Defense and one of the geniuses behind the Iraq invasion, was asked in 2005 why Iraqis did not greet their American liberators with flowers, he replied, "“But they had flowers in their minds.”

So I look forward, on the Bush Farewell Tour, to the explanation that the shoe-throwing journo was expressing his thanks when he said, "This is a goodbye kiss, you dog."

[youtube]http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=M8GOrc0-Ygg[/youtube]