What If It Hadn't Been A Shoe?

[Rick In San Jose]

I can't help but wonder where Mr. Bush's Secret Service agents were, and what they were doing, at the moment he had those shoes thrown at him in Iraq. In watching the incident, it struck me that the shoe which barely missed nailing the President could just as easily have been a pie, a throwing knife, a beaker of acid, or a hand grenade. I would think that at least one of the agents would have been sufficiently alert to see the perpetrator making ready to throw the shoes, and would have reflexively leaped in front of the President to protect him from the potential impact. Someone in the President's security detail dropped the ball big time here.

[phoenixxx]

Well, you don't have to "sneak" in a shoe into a press conference with the president like you would those other items you mentioned. I'm sure everyone was screened for those dangerous items. I mean, they're not gonna take everyone's shoes away.

[moxie]

I can see where the first shoe caught everone by surprise. But the agents should have been instantly around Bush to defend him from the second one. Pretty shocking, actually.

[IzzyS]

ITA--watching that gave me the creeps. One shoe was bad enough, but two? Who fell asleep at the switch? Very, very scary.

[Rick In San Jose]

This also brings to mind that English terrorist, Richard Reid, who, during an airline flight shortly after 9/11, tried to detonate one of his shoes, which contained enough plastic explosive to blow a big hole in the fuselage. The media called him the "Shoe Bomber," and I doubt his shoe was -- or is -- the only one out there fitted with plastic explosives. I think it was pure dumb luck that Mr. Bush dodged the proverbial bullet, or worse.

[iloveskating]

I can't help but wonder where Mr. Bush's Secret Service agents were, and what they were doing, at the moment he had those shoes thrown at him in Iraq.... Someone in the President's security detail dropped the ball big time here.I wondered the same thing too, but my husband pointed out that the SS doesn't have the same status & authority in Iraq as they do in US...that they can't be as visible and aggressive as they would be here.

[trueurbanite]

We discussed this all day at work yesterday. Though the incident comical in one light, could have been disasterous in another if certain elements were altered, namely the shoe. Could you have imagine the consequences if it would have been something life threatening?

[IzzyS]

We discussed this all day at work yesterday. Though the incident comical in one light, could have been disasterous in another if certain elements were altered, namely the shoe. Could you have imagine the consequences if it would have been something life threatening?

trueurbanite, that's what I thought. Bush kind of laughed it off, but the fact that it happened at all was terrifying. No one, I believe, no matter what side of the political spectrum we're on, wants to see something like that. There are ways to express one's political views. This was horrible.

[trueurbanite]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7790318.stm


Thousands have been protesting in support of his actions.

His employers, the Cairo-based al-Baghdadiya TV channel, called for their journalist to be freed, saying he had simply been exercising his freedom of expression - something the Americans promised Iraqis when they ousted former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.

Exercising his freedom of expression? Hey, I don't know about you, but if I throw a shoe at my college professor, I'd have to face serious charges for my so-called freedom of expression. Aggravated assault maybe?

Oh my goodness... if I threw a shoe at my parents.... Let me not talk about those consequences.

[Kwadruple]

trueurbanite, that's what I thought. Bush kind of laughed it off, but the fact that it happened at all was terrifying. No one, I believe, no matter what side of the political spectrum we're on, wants to see something like that. There are ways to express one's political views. This was horrible.

No more horrible than expressing your views by raping and pillaging a country the way Bush did.

[trueurbanite]

What the shoe throwing has brought to light is the true anger and hostility (not to mention hurt) people feel towards Bush. To some he epitomizes the devil. Just ask Hugito Rafael Chavez Frias, "President" of Venezuela.

[Rick In San Jose]

And now, according to the news article linked below, the Iraqi shoe thrower may be seeking asylum in Switzerland, claiming his life is in danger in Iraq. So I presume this means, to borrow a term from long-time MKF members, there will be no more Obligatory Shoe Shots.

http://news.aol.com/article/iraqi-shoe-thrower-to-seek-asylum/310798?icid=200100397x1217567227x1201163657

[mr pru]

...what if the heel of the shoe had smacked him square on his forehead?..

.....you think it would have knocked that eternal wise a$$ smirk off his face?..




.......it would have been poetic justice indeed...

[kwanette]

...what if the heel of the shoe had smacked him square on his forehead?..

.....you think it would have knocked that eternal wise a$$ smirk off his face?..




.......it would have been poetic justice indeed...



Shame on you.

[evergreen]

Perhaps instead of a shoe, a well placed foot?

[breannaw]

No more horrible than expressing your views by raping and pillaging a country the way Bush did.

Who in the He"" has Bush RAPED AND PILLAGED.?????????/ Facts and links please to back up your disgusting pathetic crap.
Like Kwanette said to another poster, 'Shame on You".

[IzzyS]

Sorry, folks--I know many of you are unhappy with my thread-locking, but this is a friendly board and I'm trying to maintain the MKF civility. Some of these posts are way out of line. You know it, too. Stop the name-calling, stop the blaming, stop the insanity! Stop!