The Shoe Hero

In a region filled with political opposition and years of war and conflicts, Iraqis took to the streets not to fight but as a celebration for their newest national hero. The even happened Sunday night as President Bush was making his final speech in Iraq, an Iraq journalist named Muntader al-Zaidi threw his shoe at Bush shouting "This is a gift fro the Iraqis; this is the farwell kiss, you dog!" then he threw his other shoe shouting "This is from the windows, the orphans and those who were killed in Iraq!" He was promply hauled off into the lobby where his screams could be heard as the presidents body guards beat him. Mr. Zaidi faces up to seven years in jail for committing an act of aggression against a visiting head of state. The ordeal lasted only a few minutes but it has almost all Iraqis singing. Many groups paraded threw the streets with shoes up on flag poles and in Damascus a signs reading "Oh, heroic jouranlist, thank you so much for all you have done." Mr. Zaidi, "provided a rare moment of unity in a region often at odds with itself." A man offered to pay $10 million to buy just one of the famous black dress shoes. A man who was closing up his shop to go out to celebrate with friends said "This is like a holiday, this is just what we needed for revenge"