Foot War in Baghdad

Tim Bearden
Editor-in-chief

To say President George W. Bush is a "shoe-in" for the most hated person in Iraq may be an understatement.

At a joint conference between the president and the Iraqi prime minister, Nuri Kamal al-Maliki, a television journalist, Muntader al-Zaidi, took off his shoes and threw them at Bush.

After getting Bush-whacked by the journalist, the prime minister asked for a public apology from Zaidi. The people of Iraq protested and proudly displayed the shoes that nearly walked over Bush.

While it may be something most American journalists would like to do, the statement made by al-Zaidi is something of a powerful one for the view of the U.S. in other parts of the world. We're not a nation of heros anymore, as we've been told to believe. We've become a nation of hypocrites and anti-Indepedence.

Now, that statement qualifies me as an enemy of the state, but it's true. If you look at America's touted Bill of Rights you'll see the Third Amdendment. Anyone remember from 8th grade what that means?

It's the right we have not to board soldiers in our homes against our will. Isn't that what we're doing around the world? North Korea, Somalia, Iraq, Germany, Japan, et. al. have American soldiers stationed within their borders. Of course, we're not forcing ourselves into houses specifically, but the spirit of the right given to American's seems to be violated. We created that doctorine so as not to be policed by the government or the world, but to be free and an independent nation.

Let's hope the "change" we voted for with President-elect Barack Obama, doesn't result in a kick in the face to the American voter. The world has suffered enough at our hands and is now repaying us with flying footwear.