The making of an Iraqi hero

At the beginning of the year, I remember reading a story both tragic and inspirational.


On January 6th, 2008, Iraq held a parade honoring its military. Crowds gathered along the streets to see the powerful Iraqi Army show off its skills. Lurking in the crowds was a suicide bomber determined to turn what was supposed to be a day of patriotism into a bloodbath. As the bomber pushed deep into the crowd, two very brave Iraqi soldiers spotted him. Knowing something was wrong, they threw themselves on top of the terrorist, wrestling him to the ground. The attacker managed to set off his explosive belt, killing the two soldiers and 9 bystanders, although it could have been far worse if the bomber had not been confronted. These two Iraqi patriots--the soldiers who gave their lives knowing what was going to happen to them--are heroes.


And yet, they are nameless and largely forgotten. Instead, an angry shoe-tossing journalist is built up as a "hero". While the Iraqi Army and police are volunteering to protect their country, a man who attempted to assault a foreign leader is given prestige and honor he does not deserve. To Muntathar Al-Zaidi, I ask you...how many widows and orphans did that above-mentioned suicide bomber create? If it wasn't for the filthy "resistance" seeping in over Iraq's borders to mass murder innocent civilians, Iraq would be a successful and free society right now.

But I have an even bigger challenge for Al-Zaidi. If he is able to avoid prison time, and he is begging for that as we speak, what will he do if Al-Baghdadiya assigns him to cover a press conference with a Saudi cleric in downtown Riyadh? Better yet, what if Saudi Arabia re-opens diplomatic relations with Iraq, and Al-Zaidi is sent to cover a press conference between, let's say, President Jalal Talabani and the Saudi ambassador. If Bush deserves two shoes for destabilizing Iraq, then it would only be fair if Al-Zaidi tosses a truckload of shoes at the Saudi ambassador, since that country has turned a blind eye to the hundreds of suicide bombers who have crossed over the border into Iraqi towns to mass murder innocent civilians and continues to export Wahabbi fundamentalism across the region, which creates exactly the type of sub-human murderers mentioned at the beginning of this post.

As beautiful as it might seem, as many as 61% of suicide bombers in Iraq are said to come from Saudi Arabia, according to the LA Times.

Al-Zaidi also claims to have visceral hatred for Iran. But remember, President Ahmadinejad made a trip to Baghdad earlier this year and Zaidi's shoes stayed on his feet during that trip. Just think of all the Iranian-backed death squads who have terrorized Iraqi civilians. The journalist feels he can place all of that blame on George Bush. If it wasn't for Bush, Zaidi wouldn't be reporting freely on subjects, and if he had thrown that shoe at Saddam, he would have gone through a wood chipper by now...if Saddam chose to go easy on him.

There are many forces that are actively trying to destroy Iraq today, and many who were doing so before 2003. If all of them were to get the shoes tossed at them they desrve, there wouldn't be any left over to throw at George W. Bush.