Iraqi Journo Who Threw His Shoes at Bush: US Hegemony Must Be Stopped

Fifteen years ago, on December 14, 2008, Iraqi journalist Mundtadar al-Zaidi threw his shoes at US President George W. Bush during a press conference with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. These shoes became a symbol of protest against US policy in the Middle East and the war in Iraq, which by that time was already in its fifth year.

Al-Zaidi, in an exclusive interview with Sputnik, described how this historic event affected his career, why his actions became a symbol of resistance to US Middle East policy, and which of today's leaders and politicians he is ready to extend the opposite gesture to: a handshake.

'My Life Changed a Lot'

Throwing shoes at President Bush was a turning point in the life of the young correspondent for the Iraqi TV channel Al-Baghdadiyah. Throwing his shoe, Mundtadar al-Zaidi also shouted: “This is for you, dog, a farewell kiss from the Iraqi people. This is for the widows and orphans, for all those who died in Iraq.”

An Iraqi court sentenced al-Zaidi to three years in prison for insulting a foreign head of state during an official visit to the country. The appeal court reduced the sentence to one year in prison. In September 2009, after nine months in prison, al-Zaidi was released for good behavior. Then, he became a real hero in the Arab and Muslim world.

"My life changed a lot after I threw my shoes at George Bush. This placed a lot of responsibility on my shoulders. Iraqi people expected from me not only symbolic, but also real opposition to the American occupation. This is how I ended up among human rights activists. I became the voice not only of those who suffered at the hands of the US occupation, but also of all those oppressed by the actions of the corrupt Iraqi authorities, installed by the Americans. My compatriots still look at me as a warrior who always remains on the front line," al-Zaidi said.

'No One Sympathized With Us When US Occupied Iraq'

The Iraqi jornalist also noted that the current situation in the Gaza Strip is similar to the situation when US troops occupied Iraq. According to him, the US hegemony is to blame for everything, as it chooses its favorites and wants the whole world to support it.

"We saw the sympathy of the US and the whole West for Ukraine. Although no one sympathized with us when the US came to occupy Iraq. We have not found similar sympathy from the West for Palestine and Gaza, where several thousand civilians, including women and children, have been killed. When the US occupation killed people in Afghanistan just as it did in Iraq, no one in the West sympathized with them either. This results in a hypocritical and false policy of double standards."

Moreover, Mundtadar al-Zaidi also suggested that "the time has come to create a union between the Eastern Hemisphere and the Middle East":

"It is time to leave behind the US colonial regime, which still carries with it murder, intimidation, colonialism and humiliation of peoples. So, I think it's time to change the world order, US hegemony must be stopped. We don't need the West anymore," he added.

Politicians to Shake Hands With

A thrown shoe is a sign of extreme disrespect in Arab culture. But there are several politicians and world leaders whom Mundtadar al-Zaidi is ready to extend the opposite gesture to: a hand shake.

"To every politician, president and ruler who supports solving our problems in the Middle East, I would to shake [their] hand. I am ready to consider as my friend a world leader who supports Gaza and openly speaks out about the Israeli Army's crimes. I'm not ready to tell specific names, but all these politicians oppose US imperialism. For them - all the gratitude, support, and respect from me," he concluded.