It Is The Farewell Kiss, You Dog!

I forgot to write about this yesterday when I was in the midst of shoe-flinging fever, but better late than never! Unless you’ve been living in a cave, you’ll be aware of this story:

A journalist hurled two shoes at US President George Bush on his farewell visit to Iraq on Sunday, highlighting the hostility still felt towards the outgoing US leader who acknowledged that the war was still not won.

Muntazer al-Zaidi jumped up as Mr Bush held a press conference with Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and shouted: “It is the farewell kiss, you dog.” Then he threw his footwear.

I became obsessed with the phrase “It is the farewell kiss, you dog!” yesterday. I even started a Facebook group – here’s what I wrote in the group’s ‘Description’ bit to explain why.

I suppose the biggest decision one faces – well, once you’ve psyched yourself up enough to throw something at a world leader – when making a footwear flinging protest at George W. Bush is what on earth do you yell as you do it?

It needs to be concise (too long a statement gives folks time to cotton on to your plan), it needs to be dramatic, and it needs to be memorable, because hell – it’s going down in history.

Kudos then to Iraqi journalist Muntazer al-Zaidi for “IT IS THE FAREWELL KISS, YOU DOG!”

Regardless of whether you think George W. Bush deserves two – TWO – size ten shoes to the noggin, surely you agree that as far as statements go, “It is the farewell kiss, you dog!” is pretty fucking sweet.

I am ending all my conversations today with it.

Of course, if Saddam had still been in power, it’s highly unlikely Muntazer al-Zaidi would be alive after his moment of insolent footwear tossing. George W. Bush should also be admired for his surprisingly quick reflexes – even if that’s the only thing you admire him for.

Also – two shoes? Two? Are the secret service even trying anymore? After the first one, he really should have been tackled. To have time to take off a second shoe and toss it tells me things are getting far too relaxed within the Dubya crew.

Meanwhile in the Arab world, Muntazer al-Zaidi has become a hero – and you can expect to see further incidents of shoe warfare against politicians.

Muntadar al-Zeidi, the Iraqi journalist who threw his shoes at US President George W. Bush during a press conference in Baghdad on Sunday, is being hailed throughout the Arab world as a hero, with many calling on other journalists to use the same method against the Arab heads of state.

MORE:
Journalist hurls shoes at ‘dog’ Bush
Iraqi who threw shoes at Bush hailed as Arab hero
“IT IS THE FAREWELL KISS, YOU DOG!” (Facebook group)